Storm Warning: The Story of a Killer Tornado and over 360,000 other books are available for Amazon Kindle – Amazon’s new wireless reading device. Learn more

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
Express Checkout with PayPhrase
What's this? | Create PayPhrase
Sorry!
More Buying Choices
39 used & new from $0.01

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Storm Warning: The Story of a Killer Tornado
 
 
Start reading Storm Warning: The Story of a Killer Tornado on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.
 
  

Storm Warning: The Story of a Killer Tornado (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: tornado forecast, tornado research, storm lab, Oklahoma City, Bridge Creek, Weather Bureau (more...)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)

List Price: $24.00
Price: $18.72 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $5.28 (22%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Usually ships within 6 to 11 days.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

12 new from $4.06 25 used from $0.01 2 collectible from $23.74

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
  Kindle Edition $9.99 -- --
  Hardcover $18.72 $4.06 $0.01
  Paperback $11.97 $0.12 $0.01

Frequently Bought Together

Storm Warning: The Story of a Killer Tornado + The Tri-State Tornado: The Story of America's Greatest Tornado Disaster + Roar of the Heavens
Price For All Three: $41.44

Some of these items ship sooner than the others. Show details

  • This item: Storm Warning: The Story of a Killer Tornado by Nancy Mathis

    Usually ships within 6 to 11 days.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • The Tri-State Tornado: The Story of America's Greatest Tornado Disaster by Peter S Felknor

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Roar of the Heavens by Stefan Bechtel

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details


Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Tornado Alley: Monster Storms of the Great Plains

Tornado Alley: Monster Storms of the Great Plains

by Howard B. Bluestein
4.7 out of 5 stars (15)  $15.56
Roar of the Heavens

Roar of the Heavens

by Stefan Bechtel
4.8 out of 5 stars (18)  $10.17
The Tornado

The Tornado

by John Edward Weems
4.3 out of 5 stars (7)  $10.16
Adventures in Tornado Alley: The Storm Chasers

Adventures in Tornado Alley: The Storm Chasers

by Mike Hollingshead
4.8 out of 5 stars (13)  $19.77
The Tornado: Nature's Ultimate Windstorm

The Tornado: Nature's Ultimate Windstorm

by Thomas P. Grazulis
4.6 out of 5 stars (17)  $15.56
Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

On May 3, 1999, a series of 71 tornadoes blasted Oklahoma. The biggest of them all spanned a mile—making it the largest in recorded history—and delivered ground-level winds of over 300 mph. In her exhaustively researched book, journalist Mathis brings the Tornado Alley calamity to life. A native Sooner who spent many hours crouching in fear in her grandmother's root cellar, Mathis has a visceral connection to the region and its heavy weather that she supplements with the expert use of interviews and historical research. Mathis introduces readers to the slow development of weather science, to the families of the victims and to such unique individuals as Tetsuya Fujita and his Fujita Scale for measuring tornado strength. Although her initial, century-spanning onslaught of science and characters can be overwhelming, the story lines eventually coalesce, and by the time the tornadoes touch down on or near Oklahoma City, the reader is engrossed. In an era of Weather Channel "Torn Porn," tornado chasers and even "tornado tours" at $3,000 per person, Mathis has written a book that helps readers locate the story behind the spectacle. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From Booklist

On May 3, 1999, a staggering number of tornados--almost 70 of them--touched down in Oklahoma, wiping out more than 10,000 homes and causing at least $1 billion in damage. One tornado, a mile wide or more, generated the fastest winds ever recorded on the earth's surface. The author, a native Oklahoman, takes us back to that terrible day, and--through interviews with survivors, meteorologists, and others--makes us feel as though we are right there in the midst of the holocaust. Comparisons to The Perfect Storm are sure to be bandied about, but it's important to remember that while Sebastian Junger relied on invented dialogue and dramatic license, Mathis was able to speak to the people who lived through the disaster, and her re-creations ring more clearly of the unvarnished truth. The current fascination with big-weather events almost guarantees the book a wide audience, and that's fine: it deserves one. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Touchstone (March 6, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0743280539
  • ISBN-13: 978-0743280532
  • Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #216,911 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

    #9 in  Books > Science > Earth Sciences > Atmospheric Sciences > Tornadoes
    #17 in  Books > History > United States > State & Local > Oklahoma
    #86 in  Books > Outdoors & Nature > Environment > Natural Disasters

More About the Author

Nancy Mathis
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Visit Amazon's Nancy Mathis Page

Inside This Book (learn more)

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Storm Warning: The Story of a Killer Tornado
75% buy the item featured on this page:
Storm Warning: The Story of a Killer Tornado 4.8 out of 5 stars (19)
$18.72
Adventures in Tornado Alley: The Storm Chasers
7% buy
Adventures in Tornado Alley: The Storm Chasers 4.8 out of 5 stars (13)
$19.77
The Tri-State Tornado: The Story of America's Greatest Tornado Disaster
7% buy
The Tri-State Tornado: The Story of America's Greatest Tornado Disaster 4.8 out of 5 stars (5)
$12.55
Roar of the Heavens
7% buy
Roar of the Heavens 4.8 out of 5 stars (18)
$10.17

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

 

Customer Reviews

19 Reviews
5 star:
 (16)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (19 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Great review of an American tragedy, March 20, 2007
By R. Keith Clingan "also an author" (Jackson, Mississippi USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Oklahoma City is one of those places that was ripe for disaster. Sitting smack dab in the middle of Tornado Alley, it was only waiting for the big one to hit and cause a lot of trouble. On May 3, 1999, that disaster happened. A tornado that traveled from Southwestern Oklahoma ended up crossing a major section of the OK City suburbs, leaving more than 40 dead and many more injured. Nancy Mathis reviews this American tragedy and helps to see how technology has made survival of even a major storm like this easier. This is a great account of how tornadoes in today's world are watched, tracked, and how the warnings are sent out. This book is a great read to all who have an interest in weather, science, and human interaction. I read it all in one sitting.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Definately Worth Spending Some Time With!, April 1, 2007
All disaster books in general follow a pretty set pattern: Immediately hook the reader, then spend the next 2/3 of the book on the events leading to the disaster (snore), finally conveying the actual disaster itself. This book is a large leap above so many others in that Mathis is able to provide a stunning narrative of the disaster, interspersed with a truly memorable cast of characters that straddle the periphery. Tied together the book is a pleasure. Never plodding, filled with fact, human interest, and technical information presented in a most readable manner that sweeps the reader along. From the basic misconception that a tornado funnel goes from the air to the ground, to a parade of quirky and obsessed weather professionals - Mr. Tornado, Roger Eedwards, Gary England, to name just a few - Storm Warning delivers a compelling read and a first rate job of research & reportage!
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Like an IMAX movie in hardcover, May 1, 2007
By Rita Slemp (Bariloche, Argentina) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Just finished reading Nancy Mathis's Storm Warning in one sitting. Having grown up in Oklahoma and spent more than two decades as an airline pilot, I thought I knew a thing or two about hook echos, doppler radar and microbursts. Mathis nails these down--making the science interesting and easy to understand. But she also tells the story of this terrible twister in a way that puts the reader right in the middle of the action. And that is scary, especially if you happen to be reading Storm Warning during a blustery spring storm, as I did. I could picture the eerie green sky as the storm chasers sped across the plains and smell the dank culvert where victims perished. The blow-by-blow description of the destruction of a two story house in 20-25 seconds is as vivid and chilling as anything I've ever read. Do yourself a favor though: read it on a quiet sunny day with calm winds.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great science information on tornadoes
I teach meteorology at a university, and wanted some more background on tornadoes since students are always asking questions about them. Read more
Published 6 months ago by K. L Sadler

3.0 out of 5 stars I guess I expected more...
I purchased this book thinking that it was a chronicle of what happened on that day in May, 1999. I got some of that along with a plethora of forecasting history and yet another... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Larry Crumley

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastically Researched
Don't start this book unless you have time to finish it in one sitting. I never expected it to be such a good read, so engrossing and emotional. Read more
Published 15 months ago by A. McDonald

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book
A compellingly detailed narrative that's concisely written and superbly researched. Gives you just enough science and history to make sense of the events, but focuses on the human... Read more
Published 16 months ago by John C. Sykes Jr.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book on tornadoes
I thought the book Storm Warning by Nancy Mathis was outstanding. Besides explaining a lot about the history of tornadoes there is a book background on the late Japanese tornado... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Mark A. Cole

5.0 out of 5 stars An Extraordinary Book about an Extraordinary Event
The May 3, 1999 tornado stunned central Oklahoma--but yet, it was not entirely unusual. As I grew up in Norman, Oklahoma (the center of weather research and now home to the... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Daniel M.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great information with very human aspect
I have been hesitant about writing a review for this book because I am very clearly biased. I felt very honored that Nancy Mathis chose to include my daughter in the book. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Mary Wiese

5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping Tale of our Killer Storms
Tornadoes are the most powerful storms known, with an F5 monster reaching 300 mph winds. Fortunately they are far smaller than hurricanes and so do not usually cause the... Read more
Published on June 17, 2007 by David B Richman

5.0 out of 5 stars compelling book about tornadoes
This was a book i could not put down, despite the author's letting us know right from the beginning who lived, who died, and how big the killer tornado was. Read more
Published on May 17, 2007 by voracious reader

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book on Tornados
Nancy is a fantastic author and did a great job with this book. An enjoyable read.
Published on May 12, 2007 by Bert Dumars

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   



So You'd Like to...


Create a guide

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject

 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.