Unraveling Tornados
Baron Critical Weather Intelligence
ON NOVEMBER 15, 1989, a severe thunderstorm intensified near Huntsville, Alabama. Local television meteorologist Bob Baron (HCB, ’68) tracked and reported the storm to the best of his abilities. The system produced a deadly F-4 tornado, and Baron was chilled to learn of its devastation, including the loss of 23 people. “Nobody at the weather service or in the broadcast community was able to identify the tornado before it came through a major portion of the city,” Baron recalls. “The loss of life had a profound impact on me. I felt like I’d failed in my responsibilities.”



