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THURSDAY

After watching the Weather Channel’s much-underrated Storm Stories—the Rescue 911 of the natural world—I always wonder why twisters seem to head for the trailer parks. Though The Day After Tomorrow would have you believe that glamorous urban landmarks are fair game for storm damage, it’s the double-wide owners of America’s bread basket who really seem to be on Mother Nature’s shitlist. Could she harbor a distaste for outdoor septic tanks? It’s doubtful that even the most astute tornado chaser, meteorologist, or Wal-Mart shopper will ever solve the trailer-park puzzle. Even National Geographic’s Explorers Hall shifts attention away from the victim to the culprit in its new exhibition, “Tornado: Twist of Fate.” The show’s chaotic layout mimics the path of a twister’s destruction, scattering bits of interesting debris throughout—wire neatly wrapped around itself, a gently popped soda can—and features such varied video clips as a bicycling Wicked Witch of the West cackling her way through that most famed twister and a ’60s public service announcement demonstrating the questionably reliable “duck and cover” technique. A section on Tim Samaras’ storm-proof video cameras brings the hunt into the 21st century and offers a glimpse of what Dorothy really went through. Whet your appetite for destruction from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (to Oct. 11; see City List for other dates) at National Geographic’s Explorers Hall, 17th and M Streets NW. Free. (202) 857-7588. (Cindy Fisher)