# Tornado Detection Via TV's; Incorrect **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [July 9, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-detection-via-tvs-incorrect/502420 "2009-07-09T04:56:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Factual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Factual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Factual)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-detection-via-tvs-incorrect/502420/1 "2009-07-09T04:56:27Z")
I was recently brought to one of this site’s articles ([link](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/156/how-to-detect-tornados-using-your-tv)), it intrigued me so I did a quick search and came upon the[NSSL NOAA](http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/primer/tornado/tor_detecting.html#) site which promptly debunked the entire article with: > [@](#): > > You may have read about a technique called “the Weller Method” of tornado detection. The idea was to be able to use your TV as a lightning detector to detect the radio waves emitted by a lightning flash, with the assumption that tornadic thunderstorms were very active lightning producers. But, not all tornadic storms produce large amounts of lightning. And, TV’s are all different and have different sensitivities, and some are even made to filter out lightning signals. Plus, if you are connected to cable, it won’t work. The method was found to be completely unreliable and it has mostly been abandoned. I have not been able to determine how old the article in question is, but I assume the same it would be better for the article be changed or removed for facts sake. Cheers. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2009, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-detection-via-tvs-incorrect/502420/2 "2009-07-09T06:26:14Z")
You pays your money (not) and you takes your chances. Judging by the index number on that column, it was published in 1973; Weller first described his method in 1968, and by 1973 it may not have been rigorously tested. Cecil has published a column every week for over 35 years; archived columns have been run on the website three times a week for the past few years, and that’s the only time they get revised. While it might be a good candidate for a fresh look, these things take time. ---
**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2009, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-detection-via-tvs-incorrect/502420/3 "2009-07-09T13:50:14Z")
Or, alternatively… The Cecil’s Columns, Staff Reports and General Questions forums are dedicated to finding factual answers to readers’ questions. With _your nom-de-plume_, I will assume that you concur? 🙂 Thank you for linking to the column, and then to a credible site offering refutation of that column. As a member here, I will say that it’s really all we can ask for. Welcome to The Straight Dope. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2009, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-detection-via-tvs-incorrect/502420/4 "2009-07-09T16:51:00Z")
With the recent conversion, I’d think the Weller method would be even less likely to work. TV is now digital, and lightning is analog, right? ;):dubious: ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-detection-via-tvs-incorrect/502420/5 "2009-07-09T19:47:47Z")
Didn’t you ever hear of fingers of lightning? Fingers are digits. Ergo, lightning is digital.