In a virtual tribute to the actor Bill Paxton, star of the popular tornado film 'Twister,' storm chasers and spotters spelled out the star’s initials on an online map that is used to track tornadoes Sunday, after hearing of the 61-year-old actor’s death.
Paxton, who starred in Apollo 13 and Titanic, played a veteran meteorologist and storm chaser in the 1996 hit movie 'Twister,' and became an icon for many of the real-life storm chasers who took part in Sunday’s tribute.
Several national news outlets reported on the tribute, including CNN, which reported that storm chasers and spotters used the Spotter Network - used by storm chasers, spotters and public servants to provide real-time positions and storm information to help improve coordination of severe weather warnings - to post the tribute online.
The tribute covered southern Kansas and much of central Oklahoma, the heart of tornado alley and was centered around the Oklahoma town of Wakita, which was featured prominently in 'Twister' and is home to a museum dedicated to the film.
