An experiment that makes some tornado warnings sound more graphic begins this week in Missouri and Kansas, and the warnings will include West Central Illinois.

      Meteorologist Chris Miller with the Central Illinois office of the National Weather Service in Lincoln says the warnings will include more information about the size and intensity of the tornadoes.  Currently, tornado warnings do not make a distinction between weak and strong twisters.

     Warnings for large dangerous tornadoes will include such language as "this storm is not survivable" or tell you that "you could be killed."

     Miller says the weather service is not trying to scare people.  Rather, he says the intent is to grab the attention of potential victims and to get them to seek protection sooner.

     Miller says the impact-based warnings could be used across the Midwest in the next few years if they turn out to be effective.  He says West Central Illinois receives warnings from the weather service office in St. Louis, so that region is included in the experiment. 

     He says the test period will last for several months.