The 1974 Super Outbreak was the most violent tornado outbreak ever recorded. In its aftermath, Japanese-American meteorologist Ted Fujita spent 10 months analyzing the outbreak using a previously untested methodology, including groundbreaking aerial analyses and detailed mapping of damage patterns. His ideas transformed the field of meteorology and earned him the nickname "Mr. Tornado." Fujita is the subject of the 53-minute documentary Mr. Tornado, which aired June 29, 2021 and was produced by PBS as part of the American Experience film series. The film highlights Fujita's tornado research, hands-on approach to applied scientific work, and contribution to aviation safety through the discovery of microbursts - sudden downdrafts of wind that can cause airplanes to fall from the sky. The full film is available to view on the page linked above (as of this writing), and viewers can also scroll to find clips and links to further reading suggestions. A written transcript of the film is available by clicking the down arrow in the Menu under the video player. Mr. Tornado was written, produced, and directed by Michael Rossi. [HCL]

Educators looking for an engaging angle to teach about climate change and weather should check out these five lesson plans from National Geographic (previously featured in the 05-17-2019 Scout Report). Students will practice forecasting and measuring weather, identifying weather patterns, and making connections between weather and climate. For example, in the lesson Climate Change and Rising Seas (grades 5-9), students learn the difference between global warming and climate change and perform a hands-on experiment to predict sea level rise. Lesson plans include accompanying videos from National Geographic and ideas for assessing students' knowledge. All five lesson plans appear as clickable tiles in the Activities section of the page linked above. Readers can scroll to the Film Clips section to view selected clips from the film Extreme Weather, and keep scrolling to find links to articles, photo galleries, and more classroom resources, organized thematically around climate change, weather, sea level rise, and forest fires. The film Extreme Weather and the accompanying lesson plans were produced through the support of Lockheed Martin. [HCL]

This suite of free apps from the Red Cross helps users track weather alerts across the globe, to make sure loved ones are safe and learn how to respond before, during, and after a severe weather event. There are four apps available under the Disaster Apps section of the page linked above. The "Emergency App" lets users monitor their locations or the location of loved ones with 35 different extreme weather alerts. Alternatively, users can download specialized apps for hurricane, tornado, or earthquake information. The apps offer customizable alerts and the ability to push notifications to users' mobile phone, Apple Watch, or Android wearable device. In an emergency, the apps can notify loved ones that users are safe or guide them to nearby Red Cross shelters. Each app provides instructions to prepare for disasters and develop a family preparedness plan, and during an emergency, the in-app toolkit can be used for a flashlight, strobe light, or audible alarm. Every app is available in English and Spanish and can be downloaded for Apple or Android devices. Visitors should also check out other apps in the Red Cross suite for first aid, blood donation, swimming safety, and more. [HCL]

Live Storm Chasing lets extreme weather followers view live streams from storm chasers across the country, to see the on-the-ground stories behind the radar display. Recent streams on the site have shown flooding from Hurricane Ida, rescue efforts for the California Caldor Fire, and tornadoes in Iowa. On the "Map" linked in the page header, users can view a U.S. map with current live streams and footage from recent streams. Using the Map Overview tool, users can overlay active weather alerts, storm reports, and radar to see current weather events and view footage from different locations impacted by each event. On the "Discover" page, users will find archived footage from recent live streams. Clicking on any video will lead to the project's YouTube channel (Live Storms Media), which has storm chasing videos dating back 10 years and playlists organized by weather event. In addition to storms and fires, streamers post footage of other events such as eclipses and volcanic eruptions. Users can also download the Live Storm Chasing mobile app to stream their own footage. Viewers should note the live streams are not censored and may include mature language and disturbing images. [HCL]

Clouds play an important role in weather, and scientists look at clouds to understand and predict weather events and climate patterns. In this hands-on lab, learners practice classifying types of clouds, analyzing data like cloud temperature and rainfall rate, and using data to predict storms. Learners will utilize the same real-time satellite data and imagery that scientists use to analyze clouds and view hurricanes and storms. Users can click "Challenge" (and click "Guest Pass" if they do not wish to make an account) to access four activities: "Cloud Typing," "Inside a Megastorm," "Analysis and Reconstruction," and "Storm Prediction." Visitors can also jump to see all the video content from the lab by clicking "Video Library" on the page linked above, and then click "Cloud Video Quizzes" to test their knowledge. Educators may want to check out the "Educator Guide" for ideas to incorporate Cloud Lab activities into the classroom. Visitors may also want to explore some of the other NOVA labs available in the drop-down menu labeled "The Labs," which include content such as "Polar," "Exoplanet," "RNA," and "Sun." Cloud Lab was developed by PBS in partnership with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Goddard Space Flight Center, the S'COOL Project, and NASA's CERES experiment. [HCL]