The Science of Storm Chasing • Hurricanes Harvey and Irma • Storm chasing goals and motivations • Dominator storm chasing vehicles • Storm chasing field research • New tornado/hurricane probe • Video from inside a tornado • New 2017 tornado footage • Suction vortices Video Extreme Storm Chasing 2012 DEN Summer Institute Discovery 2008 Season Trailer: July Play 21-25; Missoula, MT Storm Chasing Vehicles 1999-present May 3, 1999 storm chase: Play 1996-1999 2003-2004 D2 (2011-present) D3 (2013) D1 (2009-present) Mythbusters aircraft test: Play 2018 Science Mission Suction Vortices! • Form near the ground • As small as a few meters in diameter • Up to 5 simultaneous • Friction induced Fiedler (2009) Suction vortex video: Play • Wind speed 2 to 4 times parent vortex • 500-600 mph??? Fiedler (2009) Storm Chasing Motivations 1. Storm reporting – HUGE Social media and mobile applications – Traditional Cell phone and radio communication – Coverage for Accuweather 2. Disaster response – Storm chase ends if damage is encountered – Emergency response and first aid training is critical 3. Data Collection – Measuring wind speed/direction, pressure, temperature inside tornadoes, hurricane eye walls – Measure horizontal and vertical winds inside tornadoes near ground-level – Measure temperature, moisture, and pressure within the funnel with meteorological parachute probes (air cannons, RC Plane) Hurricane Harvey • Landfall as category 4 hurricane in Aransas Pass to Rockport to Holiday Beach, TX • 130 mph maximum sustained winds at landfall • Dropped over 50 inches of rain across parts of East Texas including Houston area as greatest storm total in recorded U.S. history Hurricane Harvey Probe Data Extreme Storm Chasing 2012 DEN Summer Institute Hurricane Harvey eye wall, Rockport,July TX: 21-25; Missoula,Play MT Hurricane Irma Hurricane Irma Key West to Key Largo, FL: Play Hurricane Irma • Powerful Cape Verde type hurricane • Strongest Atlantic basin hurricane ever recorded (wind) with 185 mph winds • Minimum pressure dropped to 914 mb • Devastated northern Leeward Islands of Barbuda, Anguilla, Saint Martin/Maarten, British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos, northern Cuba, and finally Florida. • At least 79 fatalities Helical Suction Vortices ~ Tornado DNA Fiedler (2008) The TVN Dominator The Ultimate Tornado Research Machine Dominator! May 22, 2010 Bowdle, SD wedge video: Play 2009 DOMINATOR 1 (D1) Extreme Tornado Research Vehicle D1 Specs:: • Hydraulic shell lowering system • Only 16-gauge steel armor • Manual Lexan window-lift system • Vulnerable from tail wind • Single windshield wiper system = fog-up • Roof-mounted Lexan dome for HD camera June 17, 2009 TVN window blowout: Play *138.8 mph wind recorded! 2011 DOMINATOR 2 D2 Upgrades:: • Longer/wider shell, lower deployment height • Hydraulic spikes • Automatic Lexan window lift system • Internal air cannon system • Triple wind shield wiper system • Upgraded research equipment May 24, 2011 Canton, OK EF3 tornado: Play 2013 DOMINATOR 3 D3 Features::: • 10,500 lb. total weight • Base vehicle Ford F350 • Power Stroke Diesel V8 • 780 high carbon steel reinforced with 4 layers of laminated Kevlar on “gull wing” doors. • Kelderman airbag suspension with computer regulated ride height system. July 27, 2015 Tipton, MB tornado: Play Mobile Doppler Radar Version 1.0 (2009) • Mounted on roof Dominator 1 and 2 • Intended to measure vertical winds inside tornadoes • Low-power (750 W max power), 2 phased array antennas Version 2.0 (2011) • 2.9 cm wavelength, X-band 10.4- 10.45 GHz frequencies • Measured 175 mph updraft in June 17, 2010 EF4 tornado • Upgrade featured pulse capability to measure wind vs. height RC Tornado Drones VIDEO: Rocket deployment VIDEO: RC plane Model rocket & Launcher Quad Copter Drone RC Vehicle Drone Ground-based Tornado Probes Zorb Probe Video: Play Ground-based Probe Video: Play June 17, 2010 Tornado Intercept Event Overview • June 17, 2010 Northern Plains tornado outbreak • EF4 tornado, 1-mile wide • Sadly, two fatalities were reported from these tornadoes • ~200 mph updraft measured • Anemometer ripped off by debris!!! Mobile Radar Data: Aurora, NE Tornado Intercept BLUE = Wind Speed RED = Wind Direction (front of Northwesterly wind in west side of vehicle pointing at 0 degrees) tornado rapidly decreasing as facing east on W-E road circulation moves eastward 138.8 mph! 8 mph minimum wind speed in the center of the tornado with rapid reversal in wind direction Mother’s Day 2015 Video: Play May 7, 2016; Eastern Colorado Wray, CO tornado from close-range Statistics • 2 mi. N Wray, CO to 10 mi. NNE Wray • Time: 5:51 pm – 6:16 pm MDT • EF rating: EF2 • Est. peak winds: 130 mph • Path length: 8 miles • Max width: 440 yards Raw video: Play May 24, 2016 Outbreak Statistics Tornado #2 • E of Ensign, KS to just SW of Dodge City • Time: 6:13 pm – 6:40 pm CDT • EF rating: EF1 • Est. peak winds: 100 mph • Path length: 4.8 miles • Max width: 150 yards Video 1: Play GoPro time-lapse: Play May 24, 2016 Outbreak Statistics Tornado #1 • Just N of Minneola, KS to NE of Ensign, KS • Time: 5:53 pm – 6:25 pm CDT • EF rating: EF3 • Est. peak winds: 136 mph • Path length: 11.94 miles • Max width: 300 yards Video 1: Play April 27, 2011 Tornado Outbreak Southeast U.S. • NOAA estimates 211 tornadoes • 3 EF5 tornadoes • Most tornadoes in 24-hour period in U.S. history • Next most was 148 on April 3-4, 1974 • 309 fatalities • Hackleburg (78) and Tuscaloosa (61) tornadoes deadliest since 1955 to date Philadelphia EF5: Play South Dakota Tornado Fest June 24, 2003 • Over 50 tornadoes reported on this day! • ½ mile wide F4 wedge tornado • Three tornadoes on the ground at the same time with this supercell. • Tornado moved at 15 mph, allowing for incredible photo opportunities. • The town of Manchester, SD sustained a direct hit, but thankfully no fatalities occurred. VIDEO: Play DAMAGING HAIL! VIDEO: Hail Manitoba, Canada Wedge! June 23, 2007 VIDEO: Canada • Violent F3-F4 tornado • Bright white tornado from unique sun angle • Storm chase vehicle: Hyundai Accent with a max speed of 60 mph! • Softball size hail cracked the wind shield after tornado passed. • Canada is new territory for storm chasers (season: Late June through early Aug) DOMINATE the Storm!.