“The Barbara Walters Special” (7 p.m., ABC): It’s an Oscar night tradition as

“The Barbara Walters Special” (7 p.m., ABC): It’s an Oscar night tradition as “The Barbara Walters Special” returns for its 28th go-around. This year the guest list includes Oscar nominees Anne Hathaway and Mickey Rourke, Oscar host Hugh Jackman and teen heartthrobs the Jonas Brothers.

“Storm Stories” (8 p.m., The Weather Channel): Button up your overcoat. Keep your umbrella within reach. Now you’re ready for “Storm Stories,” which returns for a new season on the Weather Channel — and will help keep things stormy during the network’s special Tornado Week.

The series, which chronicles true stories of survivors and rescuers battling extraordinary weather events, begins with the tornado that slammed Windsor, Colo., last spring.

More new episodes air at the same time Monday through Thursday, featuring the deadly tornado that struck Parkersburg, Iowa, last year; the Greensburg, Kan., tornado that wiped out the entire town in May 2007; the “Super Tuesday” tornadoes that cut a swath over a wide area of Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee in February 2008; and the “Boy Scouts Tornado” that hit the Little Sioux Scout Ranch in western Iowa last June.

Along with “Storm Stories,” the Weather Channel will introduce other programming to mark the start of tornado season. Programs include “Tornado!” — which delves into the danger and unpredictability of tornadoes (airing Monday at 9 p.m. EST) — and “Super Outbreak,” a new episode of “When Weather Changed History” that revisits April 1974, when 148 tornadoes tore through the Midwest and South, killing 335 people (Wednesday at 9 p.m.).

On-air meteorologist Jim Cantore is host of “Storm Stories.”

“The 81st Academy Awards” (8:30 p.m., ABC): It’s Hollywood’s big night, but do you care? The list of movies up for Best Picture lacks blockbuster pizazz (What’s a “slumdog,” anyway?) and rookie host Hugh Jackman is a song-and-dance man, not a raucous comedian. Sounds like a telecast that could challenge the record for lowest Oscar ratings ever. Then again, Brad and Angelina are both expected to be in attendance. And we’ve got all those tacky outfits to mock. And it is the Oscars, after all. That settles it. We’re so there.