US Storm Chasing 2013

[NZstorm]

I would buy into the climate change theory if proper research is done and a link between global warming and say the jet stream is affirmed. On the face of it, the set up looked fairly text book. The big factor was the time of year when the moisture and surface heating was very good. Remember that the season was a dud for many months and no one mentioned climate change then.

How this event will affect the future of storm chasing only time will tell.

[GreggWard]

Twistex were on a country road to the south of (but running parallel to) I-40, and were probably caught by the storm's sudden sharp turn to the NE. Apparently it doubled in speed as it changed course. I can imagine if you're on a road with no exits, and a mile-wide tornado that had been tracking alongside you at around 20mph suddenly veers directly towards you at 45mph, it would be near impossible to get beyond the edges of the circulation before it reached you, purely because it's so wide.

When you describe it like that, I think even the most experienced storm chaser would be caught of guard.

In the last interview that Tim gave, on the afternoon of the 31/05/2013 (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news ... r-science/), he mentioned the following, which may indicate that he felt that the mature stage tornado that they would later follow would probably stay on a straight track:

Tornadoes, I have had them turn, especially during what we call the "rope-out" stage, which is the end of their life. Because they wrap up in a very tight, high-velocity tornado that's on the ground and their paths are very, very unpredictable.

And I've seen them do a 360 or 180 and come right back at me. So we're really careful during the rope-out stage.

Now, when they're in what we call the mature stage, and the tornado is at its greatest strength, we find that the tornado actually tracks in more or less a straight line. That's not always the case, but the tornadoes that we have witnessed and we have actually deployed instruments on, they actually go in a pretty good straight line.

[Manukau heads obs]

Remember that the season was a dud for many months and no one mentioned climate change then.

could all be related to how the jet stream positions and wave frequency/amplitude etc seem to be getting stuck alot lately around the globe (i.e causing long periods of one weather pattern (one place will be dry, another place wet, once place cold, another place hot) , etc

[littleheaven]

Tornadoes, I have had them turn, especially during what we call the "rope-out" stage, which is the end of their life. Because they wrap up in a very tight, high-velocity tornado that's on the ground and their paths are very, very unpredictable.

And I've seen them do a 360 or 180 and come right back at me. So we're really careful during the rope-out stage.

Now, when they're in what we call the mature stage, and the tornado is at its greatest strength, we find that the tornado actually tracks in more or less a straight line. That's not always the case, but the tornadoes that we have witnessed and we have actually deployed instruments on, they actually go in a pretty good straight line.

Crikey, that's rather haunting considering what appears to have happened.

I'm seeing talk on Twitter this morning that this tornado went from half a mile to two and a half miles wide in about a minute. And on the track maps it made the NW turn just before it reached maximum width and intensity, which is likely the time it hit Twistex and the guys that narrowly escaped with their lives from The Weather Channel.

[Manukau heads obs]

I saw a video clip somewhere that shows the camera from TWC channel that was thrown from the car and landed on the ground but kept on recording and shows the car rolling over and over (sideways) away from the camera!
I also saw another clip of a chaser outside...then the wind ramped up so fast and sudden he had to lie down in the ditch on the side of road in front of the car (all caught on tape)

[jamie]

latest reports indicate it was 2.5 miles wide (4km) at its peak after surveying damage path and with winds punching an estimated 295mph (475km/h).

That is just unreal. Will hopefully get time to sit down in the next couple of days and look over the viedos.

[littleheaven]

Yes, it is now officially the biggest US tornado on record.

[03Stormchaser]

http://kfor.com/2013/06/04/update-el-re ... on-record/
Video of Reed discussing the El Reno tornado

942153_10201196140686618_1455840716_n.jpg

Track and width of the Twister

[NZstorm]

There was a first time storm chaser killed in the El Reno tornado. The guy apparently was storm chasing and he had photographed the tornado before he was killed.

http://newsok.com/oklahoma-storms-amate ... le/3841315

[03Stormchaser]

There was a first time storm chaser killed in the El Reno tornado. The guy apparently was storm chasing and he had photographed the tornado before he was killed.

http://newsok.com/oklahoma-storms-amate ... le/3841315

Calling him a stormchaser is a stretch at best. Seems like if you take a photo of the weather your deemed a stormchaser.

[Nev]

According to this interview with the chaser, Richard Charles Henderson's family, he was fascinated by tornadoes and would periodically go out to chase storms. He deliberately drove out from Hinton to El Reno to intercept Friday's storm.

[NZstorm]

There seems to be a trend developing where radar is used to rate tornadoes rather than the EF damage scale. The El Reno tornado did EF3 measurable damage but was rated EF5 on radar assessment. I guess it makes sense that that's where the future rating system will end up, technology based.

[tgsnoopy]

Interesting comment, will try to remember to keep an eye on how they are basing the ratings.

[littleheaven]

That makes sense, I guess, where you have tornadoes over open countryside that may not leave as much assessable damage as those that impact a large number of structures.

[Tornado Tim]

There seems to be a trend developing where radar is used to rate tornadoes rather than the EF damage scale. The El Reno tornado did EF3 measurable damage but was rated EF5 on radar assessment. I guess it makes sense that that's where the future rating system will end up, technology based.

I believe the EF5 rating was given to it due to Josh Wurmans DOW was monitoring the tornado (IE the radar beam is lower than than the U.S standard radar).

[NZstorm]

Yes, the Wurman DOW was there so they may have used that data. The University of Oklahoma had a mobile radar there as well and measured the 295mph.

The University of Oklahoma's RaXPol system — a rapid-scan, polarimetric, mobile Doppler radar — measured winds greater than 295 mph at several times and locations within 500 feet of the ground along the south side of subvortices on the south side of the tornado, the Oklahoman reported.

[NZstorm]

A Story in yesterdays Oklahoma newspaper being critical about storm chase tour companies.

http://newsok.com/tornado-tour-companie ... le/3843582

[03Stormchaser]

A Story in yesterdays Oklahoma newspaper being critical about storm chase tour companies.

http://newsok.com/tornado-tour-companie ... le/3843582

I'm surprised there isn't more negativity toward tour companies in the media. I personally don't have a problem with them, gives people the chance to witness severe weather up close in a more controlled environment than if they choose to chase them selves.

Check out the comments below the article, jeez there are some haters!

[tgsnoopy]

A lot of the tour companies are good operators, there are sadly some that aren't so good. Most people in one of those tours are likely to be far safer than being out there trying to do it on their own.

I'm growing quite concerned about the hysteria that seems to be forming post the loss of the very experienced and known to be safety conscious Twistex members.

Whilst it can be problematic with so many people out and about just having a look without required knowledge etc I think the solution is less sensationalism in the media rather than some stupid law that could cost lives by having less storm spotters out there giving NWS vital real time data/observations.

RIP Tim, Paul & Carl, always remember they were doing what they loved.

[NZstorm]

Derecho forecast for the upper Midwest. SPC have a moderate risk.

[spwill]

A Story in yesterdays Oklahoma newspaper being critical about storm chase tour companies.

http://newsok.com/tornado-tour-companie ... le/3843582

The chasing of storms needs to be kept separate from the distruction and loss of life that can occur.

[NZstorm]

The SPC think today is a high risk over the upper midwest. The first high risk they have issued this season.

Could be a good derecho with 37million people in the path of it over the next day or two.

[NZstorm]

The SPC high risk yesterday didn't verify which didn't surprise me. The event was essentially a straight line wind set up. High risks are supposed to be based on tornado probs so a clerical error at the SPC.

[Manukau heads obs]

alot of people got worried about the Dercho
but did not do much for alot of places east of the river

[Tornado Tim]

The SPC high risk yesterday didn't verify which didn't surprise me. The event was essentially a straight line wind set up. High risks are supposed to be based on tornado probs so a clerical error at the SPC.

I thought the high risk was a high straight line wind risk, not tornado risk.
It came across on the U.S news thats it was a straight line high risk.