How Dorothy Really Works In Twister

Summary Twister's Dorothy device is a scientifically accurate tornado research tool inspired by real-life technology.

The barrel-shaped device contains hundreds of sensors that gather data on wind speed, funnel structure, and more.

The NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory consulted on the film to ensure scientific accuracy and realism.

1996's classic disaster thriller Twister centered around two scientists testing out a new piece of technology that would help warn people of tornadoes sooner, and the device nicknamed "Dorothy" has some logical science behind it. Directed by Jan de Bont and based on a screenplay by Michael Crichton (Jurassic Park) and Anne Marie-Martin, Twister was celebrated for its ground-breaking special effects. The Academy Award-nominated blockbuster went on to gross nearly $500 million on a budget of roughly $92 million, and became a benchmark for disaster films in American cinema.

Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt lead the star-studded cast of Twister as Bill and Jo Harding, two stormchasers who use a set of homemade revolutionary devices to further their tornado research. The tech seemed advanced for 1996, although it was rooted in logical science as opposed to some sort of cinematic nonsense. However, it can be a little tough to understand without its functionality spelled out.

Related Twister's 10 Best Quotes, Ranked The 1996 disaster movie classic Twister featured many memorable quotes and hilarious dialogue from its passionate group of storm-chasing scientists.

The Dorothy Device In Twister Explained

The scientific instrument helped gather tornado data

The device that the Hardings build is affectionately nicknamed Dorothy as a reference to The Wizard of Oz, and also as a hint to how it is used. Dorothy's primary construct is essentially a barrel, inside which are hundreds of tiny sensors that transmit data back to monitors. The rest of the apparatus includes other related meteorological equipment, including anemometers and Doppler radar that help gauge the conditions at the various locations the device was deployed in during Twister.

What makes Dorothy such a revolutionary piece of equipment is the type of data that it's able to capture. While meteorologists had studied tornadoes for decades, the vital area of measurement had previously been inaccessible: the inside of a tornado. The purpose of the Dorothy device is to anchor it inside a tornado and disperse the hundreds of sensors directly into the funnel in order to gather measurements on wind speed, funnel structure, and more previously impossible-to-collect data. Even deploying Dorothy was tremendously difficult, as the first three versions of the device were destroyed before they could be used properly.

Was Dorothy Based On Real Scientific Devices?

The Dorothy Device has a real-world counterpart

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While the science behind Dorothy seemed futuristic at the time, it was actually inspired by real-life technology created by the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory. In the 1970s, scientists at the NOAA created a device called the Totable Tornado Observatory, or TOTO for short (another Wizard of Oz reference). After years of unsuccessful attempts to deploy, the device was retired in 1987. It inspired the screenplay written by Crichton and his wife, Anne Marie Martin. TOTO was functionally similar to Dorothy in that it was designed with a barrel shape to release sensors into the air during a tornado.

The NOAA actually acted as consultants for Twister to ensure that the script remained as realistic and scientifically accurate as possible. Per the NOAA, several actors from the movie were taken out on an actual tornado chase to get a feel for how a stormchasing team operates. The realism of the Dorothy device played a big role in making Twister such a groundbreaking disaster movie. As opposed to wild cinematic disasters like global freezes or massive volcanic eruptions, Twister shows how real science is used to prepare for disasters that people face every year.

Source: NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory