Weather myths persist

Many myths still persist about severe weather and tornadoes in Iowa. One that continues in the south-central Iowa town of Stuart is that residents are safe because there are two rivers around the town. State Climatologist Harry Hillaker says people who believe that are getting a false sense of security.He says it’s not true, as there’ve been two tornadoes reported in Stuart. Hillaker says water doesn’t stop the storms, nor does anything else for that matter.He says the storms that produce tornadoes are 50-thousand feet high, so a river of even a hill doesn’t mean much to them. Hillaker says the potential for storms is a fact of life in Iowa.Hillaker says just about every town in Iowa has been hit by a tornado since weather records have been kept.