VORTEX2: June 5, 2009 - 26th. Operations provided for in the field: an interception of EF2 tornado.
Miles traveled today: 584. Total miles traveled: 8659.
Photography: Gino De Grandis
Don Burgess cleverly leads the briefing in the morning and he reveals expectations for the day. The Storm Prediction Center's forecast comes up with a Slight Risk and probability associated with a tornado of 10%. It is not very high but it is still the highest since the beginning of the project.
the possibilities for today 'hunting are two possibilities: either the triple point (triple point), which is the intersection between the front and the Dryline or a location further west where the flow is in the southern portion.
As a first target is chosen a middle path which gives the opportunity to follow the path west to Wyoming or the way south to Nebraska, two areas that are continuously monitored carefully. The transfer to Kimball, Nebraska is short and this allows us to eat calmly with usually packed lunch. Until three in the afternoon did not get any particular order as it expects the first towering cumulus begin to develop. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon finally arrives ordered to move north because the first few cumulonimbus clouds have come to life in the south-eastern Wyoming's really where the most attention were addressed.
We travel in the convoy taking the Highway 71 and 88 leads us to the border between Nebraska and Wyoming as the first cells appear to radar storm, it is a couple of thunderstorms that formed north of Cheyenne near Chugwater. At three forty-five minutes we find ourselves on Highway 85 in Wyoming and is declared the final target which is the southernmost cell the couple that we already have a good view. They spend only fifteen minutes and here is that the Storm Prediction Center issued a Tornado Watch for our area with a 60% chance of having a tornado and 20% have a tornado of high intensity, we can say that is a good encouragement.
In less than an hour watched the storm turns into a full-fledged supercell showing all the characteristics of the radar is that the direct vision.
The supercell is at least 20-25 miles from the Highway and the trajectory is perpendicular to the road so there is plenty of time to coordinate the positioning of the radar and the various tools and observe calmly evolution. At approximately 16:20
takes shape wall cloud to the west that takes back solar lighting with a contrast that will leave you breathless. In the hour that follows everything that happens in a research project of the scope of VORTEX2 could want.
The wall cloud continues to evolve gradually descending toward the ground, forming the clear slot and begin to animate several funnel. And when Nature decides that the time has come, the wall cloud became more pointed, like a triangle, and in a few seconds extends further towards the ground creating the tornado.
The first moments following the formation of tornadoes are of absolute admiration as this takes on a increasing and widening taking a classic inverted cone shape. The rain begins to fall from the wall cloud but not sufficiently to preclude the view of the tornado.
At this point the probe are directed towards the deployment of the pod: the time has come to expect from a month and now that we're prepared with such dedication. Doppler On Wheels comes from the first coordinates and the pod should be placed 150 meters apart. Just downloaded the first pod, however, comes the order to stop the deployment because the tornado path has changed slightly and we are sent back in a couple of miles to the north by the tornado continued its path toward all'Highway 85. With the tornado at a distance of two to three kilometers we addressed in the final deplouyment the other two pods that stay there.
Miles traveled today: 584. Total miles traveled: 8659.
Photography: Gino De Grandis
Don Burgess cleverly leads the briefing in the morning and he reveals expectations for the day. The Storm Prediction Center's forecast comes up with a Slight Risk and probability associated with a tornado of 10%. It is not very high but it is still the highest since the beginning of the project.
the possibilities for today 'hunting are two possibilities: either the triple point (triple point), which is the intersection between the front and the Dryline or a location further west where the flow is in the southern portion.
As a first target is chosen a middle path which gives the opportunity to follow the path west to Wyoming or the way south to Nebraska, two areas that are continuously monitored carefully. The transfer to Kimball, Nebraska is short and this allows us to eat calmly with usually packed lunch. Until three in the afternoon did not get any particular order as it expects the first towering cumulus begin to develop. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon finally arrives ordered to move north because the first few cumulonimbus clouds have come to life in the south-eastern Wyoming's really where the most attention were addressed.
We travel in the convoy taking the Highway 71 and 88 leads us to the border between Nebraska and Wyoming as the first cells appear to radar storm, it is a couple of thunderstorms that formed north of Cheyenne near Chugwater. At three forty-five minutes we find ourselves on Highway 85 in Wyoming and is declared the final target which is the southernmost cell the couple that we already have a good view. They spend only fifteen minutes and here is that the Storm Prediction Center issued a Tornado Watch for our area with a 60% chance of having a tornado and 20% have a tornado of high intensity, we can say that is a good encouragement.
In less than an hour watched the storm turns into a full-fledged supercell showing all the characteristics of the radar is that the direct vision.
The supercell is at least 20-25 miles from the Highway and the trajectory is perpendicular to the road so there is plenty of time to coordinate the positioning of the radar and the various tools and observe calmly evolution. At approximately 16:20
takes shape wall cloud to the west that takes back solar lighting with a contrast that will leave you breathless. In the hour that follows everything that happens in a research project of the scope of VORTEX2 could want.
The wall cloud continues to evolve gradually descending toward the ground, forming the clear slot and begin to animate several funnel. And when Nature decides that the time has come, the wall cloud became more pointed, like a triangle, and in a few seconds extends further towards the ground creating the tornado.
The first moments following the formation of tornadoes are of absolute admiration as this takes on a increasing and widening taking a classic inverted cone shape. The rain begins to fall from the wall cloud but not sufficiently to preclude the view of the tornado.
At this point the probe are directed towards the deployment of the pod: the time has come to expect from a month and now that we're prepared with such dedication. Doppler On Wheels comes from the first coordinates and the pod should be placed 150 meters apart. Just downloaded the first pod, however, comes the order to stop the deployment because the tornado path has changed slightly and we are sent back in a couple of miles to the north by the tornado continued its path toward all'Highway 85. With the tornado at a distance of two to three kilometers we addressed in the final deplouyment the other two pods that stay there.
The third pod fix it along the edge of the road when it's raining, and despite the various technical tasks that should I have the time to launch a second look to my right (east) to see the curtain of rain that wrap around the tornado that now only two kilometers away from us has taken a considerable size. From here there is nothing left to get away to the south according to the indications that we are carefully taught by Karen Kosiba aboard DOW7.
The TIV2 is guided directly to interception by Josh Wurman the tornado and the operation succeeds perfectly. The testimonies of Ronan, driver TIV2 are to be preserved in memory. They are able to measure winds of 125 mph, which means 200 km / h and from their position have the opportunity to see the light poles collapsed under the power of the wind and be dragged and tossed about by the fierce gusts of wind. This is an EF2 tornado, and this time Sean Casey has probably got what I sought for years, shooting with IMAX cameras on the passing of the tornado TIV!
The tornado passes on the road as we observe from a safe distance then ordered to retrieve the platforms because there is the possibility of a second interception.
she goes to the highway north we have the opportunity to attend one of the most spectacular views I have ever witnessed. The tornado is on our right, white illuminated by the sun shining and incredibly stretched upwards to the base of the cloud which wraps around itself in a spiral! A breathtaking view that accompanies us through the interminable seconds until the GPS we can find the yellow pod and load them quickly on our Hummer shortly after witnessing the complete dissipation of the magnificent white tube. Radio news arrived that a probe of the NSSL was hit by hailstones the size of 4.5 inches, 11 cm that have shattered the windshield and caused major drafts on the bodywork.
pod crops will bring us to the south and then east to try to catch up on the supercell that continues its shift toward the east. When we reach we are able to enjoy a stunning new creation of Mother Nature. The supercell is perfect streak in the jargon of those who are called "mothership" that the alien spacecraft of science fiction films, is so immense that I have to take our position from 4:00 to 5:00 in panoramic pictures to be able to take it all. The wall cloud is so low that it touches the ground so it seems like a huge wedge tornado.
radars continue to scan but the supercell does not seem to now be able to generate another tornado so that the probes are brought up under the mesociclone but not carried out any kind of deployment. So we have plenty of time to be enchanted and fall in love with this vision with us for several minutes.
In light of the sunset and the wind outflow to the skin, the time for completion of the operations while the supercell continues its course eastward. We move on Interstate 80 in the direction of Kearney venue for the night but the emotions are not over.
the fact that in the afternoon convection developed over most of Nebraska has assumed the proportions of a huge MCS (Mesoscale Convective System, mesoscale convective) with at least two supercells to the south-eastern Europe.
The TIV2 is guided directly to interception by Josh Wurman the tornado and the operation succeeds perfectly. The testimonies of Ronan, driver TIV2 are to be preserved in memory. They are able to measure winds of 125 mph, which means 200 km / h and from their position have the opportunity to see the light poles collapsed under the power of the wind and be dragged and tossed about by the fierce gusts of wind. This is an EF2 tornado, and this time Sean Casey has probably got what I sought for years, shooting with IMAX cameras on the passing of the tornado TIV!
The tornado passes on the road as we observe from a safe distance then ordered to retrieve the platforms because there is the possibility of a second interception.
she goes to the highway north we have the opportunity to attend one of the most spectacular views I have ever witnessed. The tornado is on our right, white illuminated by the sun shining and incredibly stretched upwards to the base of the cloud which wraps around itself in a spiral! A breathtaking view that accompanies us through the interminable seconds until the GPS we can find the yellow pod and load them quickly on our Hummer shortly after witnessing the complete dissipation of the magnificent white tube. Radio news arrived that a probe of the NSSL was hit by hailstones the size of 4.5 inches, 11 cm that have shattered the windshield and caused major drafts on the bodywork.
pod crops will bring us to the south and then east to try to catch up on the supercell that continues its shift toward the east. When we reach we are able to enjoy a stunning new creation of Mother Nature. The supercell is perfect streak in the jargon of those who are called "mothership" that the alien spacecraft of science fiction films, is so immense that I have to take our position from 4:00 to 5:00 in panoramic pictures to be able to take it all. The wall cloud is so low that it touches the ground so it seems like a huge wedge tornado.
radars continue to scan but the supercell does not seem to now be able to generate another tornado so that the probes are brought up under the mesociclone but not carried out any kind of deployment. So we have plenty of time to be enchanted and fall in love with this vision with us for several minutes.
In light of the sunset and the wind outflow to the skin, the time for completion of the operations while the supercell continues its course eastward. We move on Interstate 80 in the direction of Kearney venue for the night but the emotions are not over.
the fact that in the afternoon convection developed over most of Nebraska has assumed the proportions of a huge MCS (Mesoscale Convective System, mesoscale convective) with at least two supercells to the south-eastern Europe.
At 10:30 PM we are on Iterstate 80 west of Ogallala and our supercell is still active: since starting to produce the first rains have already gone nine hours, ending a chase that once again demonstrates the power of Nature.
As we bring more to the east we encounter a second supercell HP (high precipitation) and we can pass on Interstate few minutes before the core of the cell affects the Motorway. This does not prevent us the opportunity to test the effects of the advancing edge of the supercell with hail up to an inch in size that affects Hummer and our major gusts of wind.
When we come to Kearney, but we are tired of immense happiness for the great scientific achievement that today's mission has had. E 'was observed and monitored with unprecedented detail the complete life cycle of an EF2 tornado that was on the ground for about 25 minutes.
As we bring more to the east we encounter a second supercell HP (high precipitation) and we can pass on Interstate few minutes before the core of the cell affects the Motorway. This does not prevent us the opportunity to test the effects of the advancing edge of the supercell with hail up to an inch in size that affects Hummer and our major gusts of wind.
When we come to Kearney, but we are tired of immense happiness for the great scientific achievement that today's mission has had. E 'was observed and monitored with unprecedented detail the complete life cycle of an EF2 tornado that was on the ground for about 25 minutes.
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