Sharknado: what really happens to sharks in a storm Sharks can predict the weather Sharks have an array of highly attuned senses and one in particular, known as the lateral line, can help them sense small changes in pressure. This is a row of small pores that lead into a fluid filled canal running along each side of the shark's body. Most fish use this to detect disturbances in the water, which cause changes in water pressure, allowing them to detect threats or pretty. In sharks this is particularly sensitive and allows the sharks to sense wounded or sick fish from the vibrations they produce. However, scientists have also found some evidence that sharks can detect a drop in air pressure that may indicate an approaching hurricane or storm. Dr Lauren Smith, a shark expert who studied the pressure sensing abilities of lemon sharks at Aberdeen University, found the fish change their behaviour in response to changes in pressure. Young sharks flee their nurseries A study in 2001 in young blacktip sharks at Mote Marine Laboratory showed that the fish take evasive action when faced with an approaching hurricane. Normally the juvenile sharks stay in shallow water nurseries where they are protected from larger predators and have plenty of small prey to eat. However, as a tropical storm approached Terra Ceia Bay, where one such shark nursery was, in 2001, the young blacktips fled into deeper water several hours before the storm arrived. Tagging showed that it was the only time the sharks had left the nursery and that this corresponded to a dramatic drop in barometric pressure proceeding the storm. Scientists believe this is because storms can be dangerous in shallow water as the winds cause powerful waves and currents that could sweep the sharks onto shore or into rocks. When the storm had passed, all of the sharks then returned to the nursery. Dr Smith found similar results in juvenile lemon sharks. Shark attacks on humans decrease Analysis of shark attacks off the Florida coast have shown that during more active hurricane seasons, the number of attacks decrease. During 2004, when there were more days of strong winds due to hurricanes Charley, Jeanne and Frances, there were 12 attacks in Florida, compared to 30 the previous year. The International Shark Attack File has highlighted these trends However, when viewed alone, this decline in shark attacks may primarily be due to fewer people being in the sea during stormy weather, rather than anything to do with the sharks themselves. When hurricanes attack, go deep There is now also growing evidence that large adult sharks also take action to avoid storms. Dr Nick Whitney from the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker, which has been tagging large ocean going sharks with GPS trackers, said they had seen changes in the behaviour of sharks as big as great whites in the path of approaching hurricanes. Just before Hurricane Sandy arrived last year off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia, the team stopped receiving data from one great white shark they were monitoring called Mary Lee for a period of six days. Dr Whitney said: "Hurricane Sandy passed just to the east of this area on October 27th, 2012 as a Category One storm, and this did coincide with a rare 6-day gap in detections - from October 25-31st - from Mary Lee's SPOT tag. This may indicate that she stayed deep to avoid the storm, but could also be a result of weather and waves inhibiting tag transmissions to the satellites. It's hard to say. Dr Whitney and his colleagues are now monitoring another shark called Betsy - a 12 feet 7 inches long female great white - off the east coast of the USA to see how she responds to passing storms. So, if further research confirms the ability of sharks to sense and avoid storms long before they hit, it should offer some welcome reassurance for anyone fearing the arrival of Sharknado 2.