Colorado Kid Invents Potentially Life-Saving Tornado Detection Device

Summers in Colorado include the possibility of strong storms that produce tornados. The National Weather Service reports that the state sees about 50 tornados ever year; a way to better detect them was created by a 10-year-old out of Lone Tree could save lives.

How Are Tornados in Colorado Generally Detected?

The National Weather Service states that there are currently several ways that tornados get detected. from computer programs analyzing Doppler radar to storm spotters on the ground in the area. Doppler radar dates back to, almost unbelievably, to 1842.

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On May 22, 2008, a powerful EF3 tornado tore through Windsor, Colorado, where our radio stations broadcast from, killing one person and causing tremendous damage. It was a very scary event for those in the town and those in the area. Over 15 later, a very smart boy from Colorado came up with a way to detect tornados, much earlier.

How Does This Colorado Kid's Tornado Detector Work?

According to KDVR, the boy, Anirudh Rao, created system where a network of drones are deployed with sensors that can detect and keep monitoring a potential tornado. This system can increase the warning time for a tornado from 13 minutes to 40 minutes. Without question, those 27 minutes can much better prepare people, saving lives and property.

READ MORE: The 2025 List of '10 Coolest Things Made in Colorado'

Anirudh's system has a great name, too: "Revere," as in Paul Revere warning that the British were coming. The award has garnered Anirudh several awards since its inception. Being so successful and so young, he's bound to become a well-known scientist/inventor upon adulthood.