Lessons From El Reno May 31, 2013 El Reno, Oklahoma Event

Skip Talbot Gabe Garfield Jennifer Brindley Ubl

[email protected] - www.skip.cc 1 A Historic Event

• Violent tornado with record width: 2.6 miles • First confirmed storm chaser deaths • Numerous other chaser-tornado impacts • Triggered mass evacuation of urban area • Controversy over rating: EF5 or EF3?

[email protected] - www.skip.cc 2 In memory of… Carl Young Tim Samaras Paul Samaras

[email protected] - www.skip.cc 3 Why does El Reno matter here?

• The same tornado could impact Chicago – Plainfield F5 August 28, 1990 – Tristate F5 March 18, 1925 – Chicago area F4s April 21, 1967 • Rush hour mass casualty scenario • Experienced storm observers making life threatening mistakes

[email protected] - www.skip.cc 4 Lessons From El Reno

• Synopsis and event overview • Chase summary • Chaser impact analysis • Spotting and safety lessons

[email protected] - www.skip.cc 5 Surface Temps, Dews, , Pressure

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[email protected] - www.skip.cc 10 Significant Tornado Parameter

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Chasers Impacted by El Reno

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[email protected] - www.skip.cc 71 When to take an Escape Route

• Your safety is compromised or could be soon – Traffic, > severe, flooding, uncomfortable with position, lack of roads • You are in the path of a tornado or tornado producing region: bear’s cage, wall cloud, RFD – Watch the tornado’s apparent movement • You lose situational awareness – Where am I? Where is the tornado?

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Night Without Tornado

Shelf Cloud

Cyclical supercell Multiple tornadoes

Anticyclonic Funnel

“HP” High

“HP” High Precipitation

“HP” High Precipitation

Shelf Cloud

No tornado, but Don’t underestimate this

“HP” High Precipitation

Anticyclonic Tornado Picking Safe Escape Routes

• Leads directly away from tornado/wall/RFD – Not toward clear air • Does not cross the path of a tornado – Get away from the tornado, not the storm • Uses major roads with known conditions – The road you came down: safest if away from tornado

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This information in more detail: www.skip.cc/chase/130531

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[email protected] - www.skip.cc 120 Skip Talbot [email protected] www.skip.cc www.youtube.com/skiptalbot

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