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DuPage Researcher Trying To Predict Tornadoes Weeks In Advance

Predicting Tornadoes

(CBS) -- A College of DuPage meteorology associate professor is working on predicting tornadoes a couple of weeks in advance -- not specifically where and when they'll hit, but where and when conditions will be right for tornadoes.

The research starts with looking at a tornado that has hit and then going backwards and re-tracing its steps.

Dr. Victor Gensini has looked at several tornadoes and traced their activity.

And based on that, he can draw some conclusions.

"We're not necessarily ever going to be able to say a tornado is going to hit your house a week in advance or heck, even a couple of days in advance," he says.

"But we are starting to find really strong relationships for the conditions that are favorable for severe weather as many as two to three weeks in advance. So, we're kind of giving you a forecast of above-average or below-average activity levels."

And the forecast for next week and the week after is for above-average tornado activity across most of the United States, most notably Texas, Oklahoma and the southeast.

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