DOCSLIB.ORG

Experiences of Community Leaders Following an Enhanced Fujita 5 Tornado Thomas Edward Orr Walden University

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Experiences of Community Leaders Following an Enhanced Fujita 5 Tornado Thomas Edward Orr Walden University Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 2017 Experiences of Community Leaders Following an Enhanced Fujita 5 Tornado Thomas Edward Orr Walden University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations Part of the Psychology Commons This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Walden University College of Social and Behavioral Sciences This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by Thomas Orr has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Ruth Crocker, Committee Chairperson, Psychology Faculty Dr. Barbara DeVelasco, Committee Member, Psychology Faculty Dr. Thomas Edman, University Reviewer, Psychology Faculty Chief Academic Officer Eric Riedel, Ph.D. Walden University 2017 Abstract Experiences of Community Leaders Following an Enhanced Fujita 5 Tornado by Thomas E. Orr MSEd, Northern State University, 1978 BA, Colorado Christian University, 1976 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy General Psychology Walden University May 2017 Abstract Many U.S. communities experience tornadoes each year, causing a significant number of deaths and injuries. Proper community preparation and response can help reduce human suffering and psychological trauma that occur following a tornado. However, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology most U.S. communities in tornado- prone areas are unprepared for a violent tornado, and there are few national, state, or local tornado-related definitions, standard or code to guide preparations. Social constructionism was the underlying theory of this qualitative study. The purpose of this study was to improve tornado preparations by examining the experiences of community leaders following a rare category 5 tornado occurring in Joplin, Missouri in 2011. The key research question considered the experiences of Joplin community leaders following the tornado. Twelve community leaders, 4 females and 8 males participated in individual face-to-face interviews, and were asked about preparations, emergency responses, trauma services and rebuilding. Giorgi‟s descriptive phenomenological method was used to analyze data. Findings include specific recommendations to improve community preparation, emergency response, trauma service and rebuilding. Community leaders experienced difficulty in coordinating appropriate resources to meet individual victim needs. They described ways in which the community was unprepared and changes that could be made in the future. This study may contribute to positive social change by providing communities with knowledge about tornado preparation and response to improve networks, reduce fatalities, injuries, trauma effects, and property damage in tornado prone areas. Experiences of Community Leaders Following an Enhance Fujita 5 Tornado by Thomas E. Orr MSEd, Northern State University, 1978 BA, Colorado Christian University, 1976 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy General Psychology Walden University May 2017 Dedication I dedicate this study to the Joplin, Missouri community leaders who shouldered the responsibility of recovering from the May 22, 2011 EF5 tornado. You led the city through immense pain and directed a tremendous rebuilding of the entire community. Joplin is a city with great heart, soul, and faith. The community shines brightly today thanks to the leaders who stepped forward from the darkness to guide a city that always retained hope. In addition, I want to dedicate this work to my mother who taught me to always believe in myself. Also, to my children and grandchildren, remember to count the cost before committing to a new challenge, but once you begin that challenge, remain determined to finish. Acknowledgments To my wife who always offered help when needed, despite having her hands full with her own dissertation. To Dr. Ruth Crocker who patiently guided me through the entire dissertation process with great skill and wisdom. I will always be grateful for the quality time you offered to me and my classmates. Thank you. Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study ....................................................................................1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................1 Background ....................................................................................................................4 Problem Statement .........................................................................................................7 Purpose of the Study ......................................................................................................9 Research Questions ......................................................................................................11 Conceptual Framework ................................................................................................12 Nature of the Study ......................................................................................................14 Definitions....................................................................................................................15 Assumptions .................................................................................................................16 Scope and Delimitations ..............................................................................................17 Limitations ...................................................................................................................18 Significance..................................................................................................................19 Summary ......................................................................................................................21 Chapter 2: Literature Review .............................................................................................23 Introduction ..................................................................................................................23 Literature Search Strategy............................................................................................26 Conceptual Framework ................................................................................................29 Social Constructionism ......................................................................................... 29 Literature Review Related to Key Concepts ................................................................32 Natural Disaster and Trauma Effects .................................................................... 32 i Tornado Impact on Communities ......................................................................... 37 Joplin Tornado ...................................................................................................... 40 Emergency Response and Learning from the Joplin Tornado .............................. 45 Review of Literature Topics Organized by Methodology ...........................................49 Quantitative Research ........................................................................................... 50 Qualitative Research ............................................................................................. 52 Mixed Method Research ....................................................................................... 55 NIST Study Concerning Public Response ............................................................ 57 NIST Study Concerning Emergency Response .................................................... 58 Summary and Conclusions ..........................................................................................59 Chapter 3: Research Method ..............................................................................................61 Introduction ..................................................................................................................61 Research Design and Rationale ...................................................................................62 Research Questions ............................................................................................... 62 Rationale for Qualitative Approach ...................................................................... 63 Role of the Researcher .................................................................................................66 Researcher Bias ..................................................................................................... 67 Methodology ................................................................................................................69 Participant Selection and Criteria ......................................................................... 69 Sampling ............................................................................................................... 70 Instrumentation and Data Collection ...........................................................................71
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Developing a Tornado Emergency Plan for Schools in Michigan
    A GUIDE TO DEVELOPING A TORNADO EMERGENCY PLAN FOR SCHOOLS Also includes information for Instruction of Tornado Safety The Michigan Committee for Severe Weather Awareness March 1999 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS: A GUIDE TO DEVELOPING A TORNADO EMERGENCY PLAN FOR SCHOOLS IN MICHIGAN I. INTRODUCTION. A. Purpose of Guide. B. Who will Develop Your Plan? II. Understanding the Danger: Why an Emergency Plan is Needed. A. Tornadoes. B. Conclusions. III. Designing Your Plan. A. How to Receive Emergency Weather Information B. How will the School Administration Alert Teachers and Students to Take Action? C. Tornado and High Wind Safety Zones in Your School. D. When to Activate Your Plan and When it is Safe to Return to Normal Activities. E. When to Hold Departure of School Buses. F. School Bus Actions. G. Safety during Athletic Events H. Need for Periodic Drills and Tornado Safety Instruction. IV. Tornado Spotting. A. Some Basic Tornado Spotting Techniques. APPENDICES - Reference Materials. A. National Weather Service Products (What to listen for). B. Glossary of Weather Terms. C. General Tornado Safety. D. NWS Contacts and NOAA Weather Radio Coverage and Frequencies. E. State Emergency Management Contact for Michigan F. The Michigan Committee for Severe Weather Awareness Members G. Tornado Safety Checklist. H. Acknowledgments 2 I. INTRODUCTION A. Purpose of guide The purpose of this guide is to help school administrators and teachers design a tornado emergency plan for their school. While not every possible situation is covered by the guide, it will provide enough information to serve as a starting point and a general outline of actions to take.
    [Show full text]
  • Tornadoes & Funnel Clouds Fake Tornado
    NOAA’s National Weather Service Basic Concepts of Severe Storm Spotting 2009 – Rusty Kapela Milwaukee/Sullivan weather.gov/milwaukee Housekeeping Duties • How many new spotters? - if this is your first spotter class & you intend to be a spotter – please raise your hands. • A basic spotter class slide set & an advanced spotter slide set can be found on the Storm Spotter Page on the Milwaukee/Sullivan web site (handout). • Utilize search engines and You Tube to find storm videos and other material. Class Agenda • 1) Why we are here • 2) National Weather Service Structure & Role • 3) Role of Spotters • 4) Types of reports needed from spotters • 5) Thunderstorm structure • 6) Shelf clouds & rotating wall clouds • 7) You earn your “Learner’s Permit” Thunderstorm Structure Those two cloud features you were wondering about… Storm Movement Shelf Cloud Rotating Wall Cloud Rain, Hail, Downburst winds Tornadoes & Funnel Clouds Fake Tornado It’s not rotating & no damage! Let’s Get Started! Video Why are we here? Parsons Manufacturing 120-140 employees inside July 13, 2004 Roanoke, IL Storm shelters F4 Tornado – no injuries or deaths. They have trained spotters with 2-way radios Why Are We Here? National Weather Service’s role – Issue warnings & provide training Spotter’s role – Provide ground-truth reports and observations We need (more) spotters!! National Weather Service Structure & Role • Federal Government • Department of Commerce • National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration • National Weather Service 122 Field Offices, 6 Regional, 13 River Forecast Centers, Headquarters, other specialty centers Mission – issue forecasts and warnings to minimize the loss of life & property National Weather Service Forecast Office - Milwaukee/Sullivan Watch/Warning responsibility for 20 counties in southeast and south- central Wisconsin.
    [Show full text]
  • Preparedness and Partnerships: Lessons Learned from the Missouri Disasters of 2011 a Focus on Joplin
    Preparedness and Partnerships: LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE MISSOURI DISASTERS OF 2011 A Focus on Joplin Coordination Incident Command Documentation Communication ESS RES DN PO RE N A S P E E R P R E N C O O I V T E A R G I Y T I M x Preparedness and Partnerships: LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE MISSOURI DISASTERS OF 2011 A Focus on Joplin TABLE OF CONTENTS E xecutive Summary _________________________________________________________ 2 The Missouri Hospital Association as a Response Organization ____________________ 8 Lessons Learned ___________________________________________________________ 10 Planning ______________________________________________________11 Communication _______________________________________________ 21 Resources and Assets __________________________________________ 24 Safety and Security ____________________________________________ 26 Staffing Responsibilities _________________________________________ 29 Staffing ________________________________________________ 29 Volunteers ______________________________________________ 31 Utilities Management __________________________________________ 32 Patient, Clinical and Support Activities ____________________________ 33 Medical Surge ___________________________________________ 33 References and Acknowledgements ___________________________________________ 36 Disclaimer: This report reflects information gathered from many hospital staff through surveys, interviews, presentations and individual and group discussions. The information relates individual and organization-specific identified
    [Show full text]
  • 2013 Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Drill
    2013 Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Drill Scheduled for Thursday April 18, 2013 The 2013 Tornado Drill will consist of a mock tornado watch and a mock tornado warning for all of Wisconsin. This is a great opportunity for your school, business and community to practice your emergency plans. DRILL SCHEDULE: 1:00 p.m. – National Weather Service issues a mock tornado watch for all of Wisconsin (a watch means tornadoes are possible in your area. Remain alert for approaching storms). 1:45 p.m. - National Weather Service issues mock tornado warning for all of Wisconsin (a warning means a tornado has been sighted or indicated on weather radar. Move to a safe place immediately). 2:00 p.m. – End of mock tornado watch/warning drill The tornado drill will take place even if the sky is cloudy, dark and/or rainy. If actual severe storms are expected in the state on Thursday, April 18, the tornado drill will be postponed until Friday, April 19 with the same times. If severe storms are possible Friday, the drill will be cancelled. Information on the status of the drill will be posted at ReadyWisconsin.wi.gov. Most local and state radio, TV and cable stations will be participating in the drill. Television viewers and radio station listeners will hear a message at 1:45 p.m. indicating that “This is a test.” The mock tornado warning will last about one minute on radio and TV stations across Wisconsin and when the test is finished, stations will return to normal programming. In addition, alerts for both the mock tornado watch and warning will be issued over NOAA weather radios.
    [Show full text]
  • Tornado Preparedness Checklist
    Tornado Preparedness Checklist A tornado is one of nature’s most destructive storms. Unlike a hurricane or tropical storm, a tornado can develop with little warning, sometimes within minutes of the start of a thunderstorm, leaving little time to react. "e wind associated with a tornado can exceed 300 miles per hour, which can cause catastrophic damage. Every area in the United States has the potential of being impacted by a tornado. Tornadoes peak in the southern states from March to May, and from late spring to early summer in the northern states. "e importance of being prepared for a tornado cannot be overstated. "e following checklist can help you to prepare your business for the e#ects of a tornado. 9 BEFORE THE TORNADO Have a plan to provide emergency noti$cations (warning system) to all employees, clients, visitors and customers in the event of a tornado. Assign the responsibility of monitoring external weather conditions to several employees. Be sure to have adequate coverage for all hours of operation, including accommodations for when these individuals will be out of the o%ce. Determine multiple reliable sources (weather websites, weather blogs, etc.) and tools to monitor real-time weather conditions. Locate multiple locations that can be used for shelter by employees during a tornado. Typically, an interior room with concrete or masonry walls is the safest. Most local $re departments will assist companies in the identi$cation of suitable tornado shelters. Post tornado shelter and evacuation maps in common areas throughout your facility. Identify a separate and unique alarm tone/siren/announcement to notify employees and guests to proceed to the designated tornado shelter.
    [Show full text]
  • Human Vulnerability to Tornadoes in the United States Is Highest In
    1 Human vulnerability to tornadoes in the United States is highest in 2 urbanized areas of the Mid South ∗ 3 James B. Elsner and Tyler Fricker 4 Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida ∗ 5 Corresponding author address: James B. Elsner, Department of Geography, Florida State Univer- 6 sity, 113 Collegiate Loop, Tallahassee, FL 32301. 7 E-mail: [email protected] Generated using v4.3.2 of the AMS LATEX template 1 ABSTRACT 8 Risk factors for tornado casualties are well known. Less understood is how 9 and to what degree these factors, after controlling for strength and the number 10 of people affected, vary over space and time. Here we fit models to casualty 11 counts from all casualty-producing tornadoes during the period 1995–2016 in 12 order to quantify the interactions between population and energy on casualty 13 (deaths plus injuries) rates. Results show that the more populated areas of the 14 Mid South are substantially and significantly more vulnerable to casualties 15 than elsewhere in the country. In this region casualty rates are significantly 16 higher on the weekend. Night and day casualty rates are similar regardless 17 of where the tornadoes occur. States with a high percentage of older people 18 (65+) tend to have greater vulnerability perhaps related to less agility and 19 fewer communication options. 2 20 1. Introduction 21 Nearly one fifth of all natural-hazards fatalities in the United States are the direct result of tor- 22 nadoes (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2015). A tornado that hits a city is 23 capable of inflicting hundreds or thousands of casualties.
    [Show full text]
  • City of Kenner Emergency Operations Plan (COKEOP), Augmenting the Basic Plan (BP)
    CITY OF KENNER EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN Annex “A” HURRICANE AND STORM PLAN (H&SP) Issued: June 1, 2007 Revised: November 1, 2011 City of Kenner, Louisiana Hurricane and Storm Plan June 1, 2007 I. PURPOSE The purpose of the City of Kenner Hurricane & Storm Plan (hereafter referred to as “Plan” or “H&SP”) is to describe the emergency response of City agencies in the event of a hurricane or severe storm. This document is intended to serve as a guide for the delivery and coordination of governmental services prior to, during, and following a storm incident. The guidelines set forth will facilitate the City’s Emergency Planning Advisory Group (EPAG) and executive’s decision-making regarding preparation, response and management of storm incidents. II. SCOPE This Plan is an administrative directive governing the operations of the City of Kenner, its subordinate agencies and departments. This document in no way purports to cover all aspects of storm related disaster/emergency or recovery management. Rather, it is intended to provide City personnel with an outline of those essential functions and duties to be performed in the event of a hurricane or storm event. - 1 - Revised: November 1, 2011 City of Kenner, Louisiana Hurricane and Storm Plan June 1, 2007 TITLE I. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION III. HURRICANE AND STORM PLAN IMPLEMENTATION The City of Kenner Hurricane and Storm Plan (H&SP) is a component of the City of Kenner Emergency Operations Plan (COKEOP), augmenting the Basic Plan (BP). Upon learning or receiving information from any source of a developing, pending, or actual hurricane or storm event, the Mayor or his/her designee may implement all or any portion of the COKEOP-BP or H&SP.
    [Show full text]
  • RTAP Fact Sheet
    Spring 2009 Kansas RTAP Fact Sheet A Service of The University of Kansas Transportation Center for Rural Transit Providers New Preparedness Guide by Kelly Heavey tied down. On the road, a bus driver should have discussed the weather conditions with a supervisor prior to beginning a shift. Open communication should be maintained, especially if the weather worsens. A bus should not accept riders if there is a tornado warning in effect, said Iowa’s State Transportation Director Terry Voy, cited in a North Carolina School Bus Safety’s Web site resource called Tornado Preparedness. If a tornado touches down en route, Voy says the driver should be aware of any possible shelters on the route, such as buildings, caves or any other strong ansas is smack-dab in the conditions outside. Be aware of the structure to protect people. Do not take middle of tornado alley, due to alerts that may occur around you, such shelter under an overpass. Kthe collision of winds from the as sirens or radio broadcasts. If a shelter cannot be found, the arctic North and from the balmy Gulf In the office, designate a shelter in rider should locate a ditch on the side of Mexico. It is prime ground for which to seek cover. The safest place is of the road and instruct riders to take billowing super-cell thunderstorms, in an interior hallway on the lowest cover in it. The bus should be parked which may produce tornadoes. Many possible level, under a staircase, or in a far away from the people to prevent Kansas residents recognize this and designated shelter area.
    [Show full text]
  • 3.2 an Evaluation of Tornado Intensity Using Velocity and Strength Attributes from the Wsr-88D Mesocyclone Detection Algorithm
    3.2 AN EVALUATION OF TORNADO INTENSITY USING VELOCITY AND STRENGTH ATTRIBUTES FROM THE WSR-88D MESOCYCLONE DETECTION ALGORITHM Darrel M. Kingfield*,1,2, James G. LaDue3, and Kiel L. Ortega1,2 1Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies (CIMMS), Norman, OK 2NOAA/OAR/National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL), Norman, OK 3NOAA/NWS/OCWWS/Warning Decision Training Branch (WDTB), Norman, OK 1. INTRODUCTION undergone several improvements since these studies, including the integration of super-resolution data. National Weather Service (NWS) service Super-resolution data (Torres and Curtis, 2007) at the assessments following the 2011 April 27 southeast split-cut elevations reduces the effective beamwidth to US tornado outbreak, and the 2011 May 22 Joplin 1.02 from the legacy 1.38 , allowing for vortex tornado found that the population failed to personalize signatures⁰ to be resolved at longer⁰ ranges from the the potential severity of the tornadoes for which they radar (Brown et al. 2002; Brown et al. 2005). In this were warned. The lack of specific information paper, we investigate how the MDA output correlates contained within the warnings has been cited as a to maximum intensity found in a tornado path. major reason why more action was not taken (NOAA, 2011a, 2011b). As a result, a number of meetings 2. DATA & METHODS amongst government, the private and the academic sectors have begun to formulate a plan to improve 2.1 Acquisition & Playback impact-based warning services. In fact, this is the number one goal of the Weather Ready Nation The initial tornado track dataset was composed initiative within the NWS (NOAA, 2012).
    [Show full text]
  • Observations and Laboratory Simulations of Tornadoes in Complex Topographical Regions Christopher D
    Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Graduate Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2012 Observations and Laboratory Simulations of Tornadoes in Complex Topographical Regions Christopher D. Karstens Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd Part of the Atmospheric Sciences Commons, and the Meteorology Commons Recommended Citation Karstens, Christopher D., "Observations and Laboratory Simulations of Tornadoes in Complex Topographical Regions" (2012). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 12778. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/12778 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Observations and laboratory simulations of tornadoes in complex topographical regions by Christopher Daniel Karstens A dissertation submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Major: Meteorology Program of Study Committee: William A. Gallus, Jr., Major Professor Partha P. Sarkar Bruce D. Lee Catherine A. Finley Raymond W. Arritt Xiaoqing Wu Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2012 Copyright © Christopher Daniel Karstens, 2012. All rights reserved. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ..............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Workshop on Weather Ready Nation: Science Imperatives for Severe Thunderstorm Research, Held 24-26 April, 2012 in Birmingham AL
    Workshop on Weather Ready Nation: Science Imperatives for Severe Thunderstorm Research, Held 24-26 April, 2012 in Birmingham AL Sponsored by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Science Foundation Final Report Edited by Michael K. Lindell, Texas A&M University and Harold Brooks, National Severe Storms Laboratory Hazard Reduction & Recovery Center Texas A&M University College station TX 77843-3137 17 September 2012 Executive Summary The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) workshop sponsored a workshop entitled Weather Ready Nation: Science Imperatives for Severe Thunderstorm Research on 24-26 April, 2012 in Birmingham Alabama. Prior to the workshop, teams of authors completed eight white papers, which were read by workshop participants before arriving at the conference venue. The workshop’s 63 participants—representing the disciplines of civil engineering, communication, economics, emergency management, geography, meteorology, psychology, public health, public policy, sociology, and urban planning—participated in three sets of discussion groups. In the first set of discussion groups, participants were assigned to groups by discipline and asked to identify any research issues related to tornado hazard response that had been overlooked by the 2011 Norman Workshop report (UCAR, 2012) or the white papers (see Appendix A). In the second set of discussion groups, participants were distributed among interdisciplinary groups and asked to revisit the questions addressed in the disciplinary groups, identify any interdependencies across disciplines, and recommend criteria for evaluating prospective projects. In the third set of discussion groups, participants returned to their initial disciplinary groups and were asked to identify and describe at least three specific research projects within the research areas defined by their white paper(s) and to assess these research projects in terms of the evaluation criteria identified in the interdisciplinary groups.
    [Show full text]
  • A Background Investigation of Tornado Activity Across the Southern Cumberland Plateau Terrain System of Northeastern Alabama
    DECEMBER 2018 L Y Z A A N D K N U P P 4261 A Background Investigation of Tornado Activity across the Southern Cumberland Plateau Terrain System of Northeastern Alabama ANTHONY W. LYZA AND KEVIN R. KNUPP Department of Atmospheric Science, Severe Weather Institute–Radar and Lightning Laboratories, Downloaded from http://journals.ametsoc.org/mwr/article-pdf/146/12/4261/4367919/mwr-d-18-0300_1.pdf by NOAA Central Library user on 29 July 2020 University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama (Manuscript received 23 August 2018, in final form 5 October 2018) ABSTRACT The effects of terrain on tornadoes are poorly understood. Efforts to understand terrain effects on tornadoes have been limited in scope, typically examining a small number of cases with limited observa- tions or idealized numerical simulations. This study evaluates an apparent tornado activity maximum across the Sand Mountain and Lookout Mountain plateaus of northeastern Alabama. These plateaus, separated by the narrow Wills Valley, span ;5000 km2 and were impacted by 79 tornadoes from 1992 to 2016. This area represents a relative regional statistical maximum in tornadogenesis, with a particular tendency for tornadogenesis on the northwestern side of Sand Mountain. This exploratory paper investigates storm behavior and possible physical explanations for this density of tornadogenesis events and tornadoes. Long-term surface observation datasets indicate that surface winds tend to be stronger and more backed atop Sand Mountain than over the adjacent Tennessee Valley, potentially indicative of changes in the low-level wind profile supportive to storm rotation. The surface data additionally indicate potentially lower lifting condensation levels over the plateaus versus the adjacent valleys, an attribute previously shown to be favorable for tornadogenesis.
    [Show full text]