TWISTER Act
The TWISTER Act (Tornado and Windstorm Innovation for Safety and Tracking Enhancement Research Act) amends the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 to expand the goals of the Tornado Warning Improvement and Extension Program. The bill directs the Under Secretary (of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, i.e., NOAA) to pursue innovative tornado forecasts, predictions, and warnings with a heightened focus on three areas: fast-developing storm systems (such as derechos), areas historically lacking tornadoes, and tornadoes that occur in the evening or at night. In short, it broadens the program’s priorities to address warning accuracy and timeliness across a wider set of storm types and conditions, including those that have been hardest to forecast or communicate to the public. The text provided shows only the title, sponsor, status, and the specific expansion of goals; it does not detail funding, implementation timelines, or required reporting. If enacted, it would steer NOAA’s research and development agenda toward improving detection, forecasting, and warning systems for the three targeted scenarios in addition to existing tornado warning efforts.
Key Points
- 1Short title: The bill is named the “Tornado and Windstorm Innovation for Safety and Tracking Enhancement Research Act” or the “TWISTER Act.”
- 2Purpose of amendment: Amends Section 103 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 to expand the tornado warning program’s goals.
- 3General expansion: Adds an explicit directive that the Under Secretary shall develop innovative tornado forecasts, predictions, and warnings.
- 4Focus area A: Fast-developing storm systems, including derechos.
- 5Focus area B: Areas historically absent of tornadoes.
- 6Focus area C: Evening or nighttime tornadoes.
- 7Relationship to existing law: Builds on the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 by adding targeted focuses to the Tornado Warning Improvement and Extension Program.