In the Shadow of the Tornado tells stories of encounters of all sorts with the most violent, unpredictable stories on the planet. In winds up to three hundred miles an hour, wheat straws sail like darts, trains are plucked off rails, and planks hurtle through thick concrete. The setting on these pages is the heart of storm country. Oklahoma, where the tornado is an object of dread, fascination, and terror. Relive the state's deadliest twister, a roaring wall of wind 1.8 miles wide that swooped into Woodward under the cover of an April night in 1947, killing more than one hundred people. Steal behind the scenes of a local television weather center to meet a celebrity meteorologist. ride with a storm chaser as he pursues a tornado at close range. Also look inside for: Amazing tales from survivors. A step-by-step explanation of how a tornado is created. An account of how scientist (and amateurs) began chasing storms. More than 20 photos and diagrams, plus a glossary and an appendix on where you should seek shelter.