Q: Why did it take so long before the Adairsville tornado was declared an EF3? I thought the expensive Doppler radar systems determine wind speed, size and direction of any major tornado. — William McKee Jr., Flowery Branch
A: Doppler radar can determine wind speed and direction, but it can't determine the size of a tornado, Glenn Burns, the chief meteorologist for Channel 2 Action News, told Q&A on the News in an email. "Based on what we were seeing as it actually happened on the radar, we did, in fact, say it was a high EF2 or an EF3 on the air," Burns wrote. The National Weather Service confirmed what meteorologists saw on radar when investigators examined the damage the day after the tornado killed one person and caused extensive damage in Bartow and Gordon counties on Jan. 30. "In this case, what we measured on radar was confirmed by the extent of the damage," Burns wrote.
Q: Album and record used to be used interchangeably, but the Grammys awarded Album of the Year and Record of the Year. Can you please explain the difference? — Gene Turner, Atlanta
A: Record of the Year is awarded for a particular song's performance and production. It recognizes the artist, the producers, the engineers and mixers. Album of the Year is awarded to an album, which is a collection of songs. It also goes to an artist, a producer and the various engineers and mixers. Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know" won Record of the Year at the 55th Grammys on Feb. 10. "Babel," by Mumford & Sons, won Album of the Year.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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