NOVA: Deadliest Tornadoes

In April 2011, the worst tornado outbreak in decades left a trail of destruction across the U.S., killing more than 360 people.

Why was there such an extreme outbreak? How do such outbreaks form? With modern warning systems, why did so many die? Is our weather getting more extreme — and if so, how bad will it get?

On this NOVA special, get a look at the science behind the 2011 outbreak, meeting those affected and the scientists striving to understand the forces behind the outbreak.

Could their work improve tornado prediction in the future? Learn how we all can protect ourselves and our communities in the future.

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Debris wrapped around tree in Joplin, Mo., after the April 2011 tornado outbreak.

Courtesy of WGBH

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A chimney is all that is left here after the April 2011 tornado outbreak - Joplin, Mo.

Courtesy of WGBH

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Damaged church in Joplin, Mo.

Courtesy of WGBH

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The path of destruction left by a tornado in Joplin, Mo.

Courtesy of WGBH

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Greg Carbin at the Storm Prediction Centre - the nerve centre for issuing weather advice.

Courtesy of WGBH

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AirDat's Bruce Lev and his TAMDAR (Tropospheric Airborne Meteorological Data Reporting) sensor, a mechanism designed to collect highly sophisticated weather data from the atmosphere during the flight of an aircraft.

Courtesy of WGBH

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