ScienceDaily: Tornado News

NASA spacecraft sees tornado's destructive swath

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 13:23:23 EDT

A new image from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument on NASA's Terra spacecraft shows the extent of destruction from the deadly Newcastle-Moore tornado that ripped through central Oklahoma on May 20, 2013. The Newcastle-Moore tornado was rated at EF-5 on the Enhanced Fujita scale. An EF-5 is the most powerful category of tornado.

Living through a tornado does not shake optimism

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:30:30 EST

Even in the face of a disaster, we remain optimistic about our chances of injury compared to others, according to a new study. Residents of a town struck by a tornado thought their risk of injury from a future tornado was lower than that of peers, both a month and a year after the destructive twister. Such optimism could undermine efforts toward emergency preparedness.

Study surveys impact of Leap Day Harrisburg, Illinois tornado

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 08:57:57 EST

On Leap Day last year, the largest natural disaster in Illinois in 2012 devastated a small town in Southern Illinois. Since the Feb. 29 EF-4 level tornado that tore through Harrisburg one year ago—hitting the ground with a force of 175-180 miles per hour and leaving eight people dead, injuring many others and destroying more than 250 homes.

NOAA and NASA's next generation weather satellite may provide earlier warnings

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:15:15 EST

A new satellite that will detect the lightning inside storm clouds may lead to valuable improvements in tornado detection. The GOES-R satellite is currently being built with new technology that may help provide earlier warnings for severe weather.

2012 was warmest and second most extreme year on record for the contiguous U.S.

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 13:11:11 EST

According to NOAA scientists, 2012 marked the warmest year on record for the contiguous United States with the year consisting of a record warm spring, second warmest summer, fourth warmest winter and a warmer-than-average autumn. The average temperature for 2012 was 55.3°F, 3.2°F above the 20th century average, and 1.0°F above 1998, the previous warmest year.

Flesh-eating fungus responsible for five deaths in wake of massive tornado

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 19:09:09 EST

A fast growing, flesh-eating fungus killed five people following a massive tornado that devastated Joplin, Mo., according to two new studies.

Advanced tornado/hurricane shelter panels from recycled materials

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 13:06:06 EDT

Recycled materials may become armor against flying debris: Panels for a new high-tech shelter have passed the National Storm Shelter Association’s tornado threat test.

NASA sees Tropical Storm Debby's clouds blanket Florida

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 20:30:30 EDT

Like a white blanket, Tropical Storm Debby's clouds covered the entire state of Florida in a NASA satellite image. Two satellites have captured imagery that shows Tropical Storm Debby has thrown a large white blanket of clouds over the state of Florida, and it doesn't seem like that blanket is going to lift quickly as Debby moves slowly north.

U.S. records warmest March; more than 15,000 warm temperature records broken

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:40:40 EDT

Record and near-record breaking temperatures dominated the eastern two-thirds of the United States and contributed to the warmest March on record for the contiguous United States, a record that dates back to 1895. More than 15,000 warm temperature records were broken during the month.

Rough terrain can channel a tornado's damaging winds, new research suggests

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:41:41 EDT

A doctoral student noticed storm damage far from the path a tornado took through hilly Alabama terrain. He's using a tornado simulator to confirm rough terrain can channel a tornado's damaging winds.

Scientists detect seismic signals from tornado

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 10:13:13 EST

A geophysical experiment detected unusual seismic signals associated with tornadoes that recently struck regions across the Midwest -- information that may have value for meteorologists studying the atmospheric activity that precedes tornado disasters.

Toward twister forecasting: Scientists make progress in assessing tornado seasons

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:40:40 EST

A new study of short-term climate trends offers the first framework for predicting tornado activity up to a month out with current technology, and possibly further out as climate models improve, giving communities a chance to plan. The study may also eventually open a window on the question of whether tornadoes are growing more frequent due to long-term climate warming.

Global winds could explain record rains, tornadoes

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:01:01 EST

Scientists have proposed a common root for an enormous deluge in western Tennessee in May 2010, and a historic outbreak of tornadoes centered on Alabama in April 2011. Both events seem to be linked to a relatively rare coupling between the polar and the subtropical jet streams.

Storm chasers of Utah

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 09:48:48 EST

A truck-mounted radar dish often used to chase Midwest tornadoes is getting a workout in Utah this month as meteorologists use it to get an unprecedented look inside snow and rain storms over the Salt Lake Valley and the surrounding Wasatch and Oquirrh mountains.

Increase in tornado, hurricane damage brings call for more stringent building standards

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 12:42:42 EDT

Researchers have examined some of last spring's massive tornado damage and conclude in a new report that more intensive engineering design and more rigorous, localized construction and inspection standards are needed to reduce property damage and loss of life.

Landsat satellite images compare before and after Massachusetts tornado

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 16:47:47 EDT

Satellites provide a lot of useful information and the Landsat 5 satellite captured an image of the long damage track created on June 1, 2011, when a tornado tracked from Springfield to Sturbridge, Mass. An earlier image is now available from 2010 that enables people to more clearly see the damage path the June 2011 twister created on its eastward track.

Wild winds: Changes in weather patterns creating more severe storms

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 10:26:26 EDT

A climate expert attributes the increase in the number and severity of tornadoes and severe storms in 2011 to a change in weather patterns.

NASA's TRMM satellite saw heavy rainfall in supercell that spawned Joplin, Missouri tornado

Wed, 25 May 2011 11:21:21 EDT

On Sunday May 22, 2011, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite captured an image of the rainfall rate in the supercell thunderstorm that generated the deadly twister that struck Joplin, Missouri.

Massive tornado onslaught raises questions about building practices, code enforcement

Fri, 13 May 2011 09:16:16 EDT

There is no practical, economic way to build structures that could stand up to the savagery of EF5 tornadoes like those that ripped through the South in late April, experts say, but damage from lesser storms could be reduced by better building practices and better enforcement of existing codes.

Storm-chasing weather radar used to track bat populations

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 11:13:13 EST

Scientists are using mobile storm-chasing radars to follow swarms of bats as they emerge from their caves each night to forage on insects.

Tornado warnings are too often ignored, researcher says

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 14:15:15 EDT

With big storms ripping across the Midwest, Bob Drost is hoping people are paying attention to the severe weather and tornado warnings. Unfortunately, Drost knows that many times those warnings are ignored, according to his research. "Only 63 percent understood that a warning is the most urgent National Weather Service statement during severe weather," he said.

Tornado-chasing becomes vacation choice, researchers find

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 17:09:09 EDT

Instead of heading to the coast for vacation, people are traveling to Tornado Alley. The number of people registering to get a closer look at tornadoes is growing as vacationers trade in their beach towels for a ride with storm chasers. Labeled "Tornado Tourists" by a University of Missouri research team, these travelers are searching for an experience beyond just thrills.

Importance of a safe room for tornado protection

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:42:42 EDT

For 18 horrific hours on April 3, 1974, a cataclysmic group of tornadoes spun through and sacked 13 states and one Canadian province, ravaging some 900 square miles and killing 148 people. An iconic photo snapped afterwards speaks a thousand words: amid devastation, one thing remained intact: an interior bathroom of a single house, whose walls had not been connected to the rest of the house.

Tornadoes: High-resolution radar data and images captured

Fri, 21 May 2010 19:14:14 EDT

Researchers have captured unprecedented high-resolution radar data during the May 10, 2010, tornadoes using one of the most advanced weather radars in the world.

Winter, Nighttime Tornadoes Pose Greatest Risk, National Weather Service Warns

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:51:51 EST

Shrouded in darkness, nighttime tornadoes can be deadly, especially during the winter season when people are not accustomed to such severe weather. Given the dangers, forecasters with NOAA's National Weather Service are increasing efforts to alert people of a potential threat in their area before they go to sleep.

Tornado Threat Increases As Gulf Hurricanes Get Larger

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:36:36 EDT

Tornadoes that occur from hurricanes moving inland from the Gulf Coast are increasing in frequency, according to researchers. This increase seems to reflect the increase in size and frequency among large hurricanes that make landfall from the Gulf of Mexico.

Dry Autumns And Winters May Lead To Fewer Tornadoes In The Spring

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:33:33 EDT

Global warming will likely mean more unpredictable weather, scientists say, and a new study pins down, possibly for the first time, how drought conditions in an area's fall and winter may effect tornado activity the following spring.

Drought, Urbanization Were Ingredients For Atlanta's Perfect Storm

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:10:10 EDT

On March 14, 2008, a tornado swept through downtown Atlanta, its 130 mile-per-hour winds ripping holes in the roof of the Georgia Dome, blowing out office windows, and trashing parts of Centennial Olympic Park. It was an event so rare in an urban landscape that researchers immediately began to examine NASA satellite data and historical archives to see what weather and climatological ingredients may have combined to brew such a storm.

Why Some People Don’t Heed Tornado And Other Severe Weather Warnings

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:58:58 EDT

The U.S. National Weather Service has analyzed forecasting performance and public response during the second deadliest tornado outbreak in U.S. history. The report addresses a key area of concern: why some people take cover while others try to ride out severe weather. Some people stay put during tornadoes, believing that 'bad things only happen to other people.'

Big Raindrops Favor Tornado Formation, Simulations Suggest

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 10:11:11 EST

One of the largest sources of uncertainty in weather prediction involves how microscale structures influence larger-scale phenomena. For instance, previous studies have demonstrated that the structure, dynamics, and evolution of thunderstorms are very sensitive to cloud microphysical parameters.

Nighttime Tornadoes Are Worst Nightmare: Twisters That Occur From Midnight To Dawn Are 2.5 Times More Likely To Kill

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:25:25 EST

A new study underscores the danger of nighttime tornadoes and suggests that warning systems that have led to overall declines in tornado death rates might not be adequate for overnight events, which occur most frequently in the nation's mid-South region.

Early And Intense Tornado Season Could Be Record

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:53:53 EDT

This year may set records for tornadoes and tornado-related deaths. "We have already seen more than 115 tornado-related deaths, making this the deadliest tornado season since 1998," said a meteorologist at NOAA's Storm Prediction Center. "It is only the third time since the 1974 super tornado outbreak that there have been more than 100 tornado-related deaths during a single tornado season in the U.S.," a research meteorologist at NOAA's National Severe Storms Laboratory added.

Tornados, Flooding May Warn Of Climate Change

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 23:13:13 EDT

Record-keeping meteorologists at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration say this year's tornado season is one of the deadliest in a decade and may be on pace to set a record for the most tornadoes. And flooding in the Midwest has been at 100-year levels this spring.

Hot-air Balloon Research May Improve Tornado Predictions

Thu, 08 May 2008 18:24:24 EDT

Three hot-air balloons dropped asphalt shingles, lumber, sticks, leaves and pine needles onto a north Alabama landfill, so scientists could gather data needed to improve tornado warnings. The payloads dropped by the balloons were similar to the types of debris thrown into the air by tornados that touch the ground. Scientists hope the Doppler radar data collected will be a first step toward programming National Weather Service Doppler radar to recognize tornado debris, so more timely and precise tornado warnings might be issued.

Global Land Temperature Warmest On Record In March 2008

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:23:23 EDT

The average global land temperature in March of 2008 was the warmest on record and ocean surface temperatures were the 13th warmest. Combining the land and the ocean temperatures, the overall global temperature ranked the second warmest for the month of March. Global temperature averages have been recorded since 1880. An analysis by NOAA's National Climatic Data Center shows that the average temperature for March in the contiguous United States ranked near average for the past 113 years. It was the 63rd warmest March since record-keeping began in the United States in 1895. The average global land temperature in March of 2008 was the warmest on record and ocean surface temperatures were the 13th warmest. Combining the land and the ocean temperatures, the overall global temperature ranked the second warmest for the month of March. Global temperature averages have been recorded since 1880.

Tornado Images May Lead To Precise Storm Warnings

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:57:57 EST

An unexpected radar image of airborne debris from the Feb. 6 tornado that killed four people in Lawrence County, Ala., might help scientists develop better tools for warning the public when and where strong tornadoes are on the ground. Scientists are studying radar data from the early morning tornado to see if the radar signature from the debris is so distinctive that computers can be programmed to instantly recognize it, so more timely and precise warnings might be issued.

Lab-made 'Microtornadoes' May Reveal Destructive Secrets Of Real-life Twisters

Mon, 14 May 2007 09:23:23 EDT

With meteorologists concerned about a possible worldwide intensification of tornado activity, scientists are proposing a new approach to studying formation of twisters, which pack Earth's most violent winds. It involves forming microtornadoes under millimeter-scale crystalline "igloos" according to a recent article.

Chasing Tornado Data To Engineer Better Buildings

Mon, 05 Jun 2006 08:22:22 EDT

Iowa State University researchers and students will soon be chasing tornado data in the lab and across tornado alley. It's all part of a research project designed to increase scientists' basic understanding of wind storms and develop innovative ways to make homes and buildings stand up to tornadoes, microburst thunderstorms, hurricanes and gust fronts.

NOAA Reports No Tornado Fatalities Since March, A Record

Sun, 10 Jul 2005 17:16:16 EDT

No one has died from a tornado since March in the United States--a first since official records began in 1950, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla. Normally, during the most active tornado months of April, May and June, 61 percent of all tornado fatalities or an average of 52 deaths occur.

Rapid-scanning Doppler On Wheels Keeps Pace With Twisters

Thu, 16 Jun 2005 06:31:31 EDT

A multibeam Doppler radar that scans storms every 5 to 10 seconds is prowling the Great Plains through June in search of its first close-up tornado. The National Center for Atmospheric Research helped develop the Rapid-Scan Doppler on Wheels and a powerful technique to analyze its data in 3-D.

Researchers Demonstrate NEXRAD Radar Helps National Weather Service Forecasters Save Lives

Sat, 11 Jun 2005 00:38:38 EDT

Tornado warnings have improved significantly and the number of tornado casualties has decreased by nearly half since a network of Doppler weather radars were installed nationwide by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service a decade ago, according to a study published in the June issue of Weather and Forecasting, a journal of the American Meteorological Society.

Rapid-Scanning Doppler On Wheels Keeps Pace With Twisters

Fri, 03 Jun 2005 07:48:48 EDT

A new Doppler radar instrument that can scan tornadoes every five to 10 seconds is prowling the Great Plains this spring in search of its first close-up twister. Newly enhanced for season-long thunderstorm tracking, the radar promises the most complete picture to date of tornado evolution, allowing for better tornado prediction in the future.

Funnel Vision: Student Storm Chasers Seek Tornadoes

Wed, 13 Apr 2005 09:48:48 EDT

They dodge twisters in Dodge City, witness big storms in Big D and follow hailstorms to Hale Center. Talk about your great field trip – this is it. Texas A&M University’s student storm chaser team is the only one of its kind in the state.

Scientists Unravel Midwest Tornado Formation

Mon, 11 Apr 2005 10:07:07 EDT

Although tornadoes are usually thought of as springtime storms that develop in early evenings out of isolated weather cells, storm watchers now say that conception often fails to hold, especially in the larger Midwest. The twist is that these tornadoes are more likely to form late at night and in colder months.

NOAA Reports Record Number Of Tornadoes In 2004

Tue, 04 Jan 2005 11:56:56 EST

The total number of tornadoes reported in the United States reached a record high during the year 2004, surpassing the previous record by almost 300, according to officials at the NOAA Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla.

New NASA Technology Helps Forecasters In Severe Weather Season

Thu, 29 Apr 2004 05:21:21 EDT

NASA is providing new technology and satellite data to help forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) create the best possible forecasts of severe springtime weather.

Tornado Outbreak Shows Need For Stuctural Improvements

Tue, 01 Jul 2003 22:51:51 EDT

Tornadoes have a reputation for being unpredictable. However, the pattern of destruction that occurs when a tornado interacts with a building is predictable, and that makes it preventable, according to University of Arkansas researcher Panneer Selvam.

In-Home Shelter Could Ease Chaotic Hurricane Evacuations

Mon, 23 Jun 2003 08:41:41 EDT

A researcher at the Florida A&M University-Florida State University College of Engineering has designed a hurricane shelter that can be built inside most conventional homes to withstand winds of 140 mph - a Category 4 storm - even if the rest of the house is ripped apart.

"Forecasting" Space Weather: NASA, University Scientists See Prediction Of Solar Storms In Future

Tue, 30 Apr 2002 07:53:53 EDT

Much like tornado watchers look to the skies for clues that a twister is forming, NASA and university scientists are watching the Sun in an effort to better predict space weather – blasts of particles from the Sun that impact the magnetosphere, the magnetic bubble around the Earth.

UMass Tornado Researchers Heading Back To Great Plains

Fri, 18 May 2001 08:23:23 EDT

University of Massachusetts tornado researchers are heading back to the Great Plains to spend tornado season testing new ways to detect and predict the swirling storms.

Texas A&M To Unveil New Mobile Radar System To Track Tornadoes, Measure Hurricane Winds

Tue, 19 Dec 2000 07:50:50 EST

How fast is a hurricane usually blowing when it makes landfall? Researchers still don't know for sure. Current wind speeds for hurricanes over land are estimates based on the damage they leave in their path. But all that will change this April, when Texas A&M University unveils its new mobile radar system, SMART-R.

High Tech Storm Research Comes To The High Plains

Mon, 22 May 2000 19:56:56 EDT

Scientists are scanning the skies for lightning and supercell storms from a host of high-tech platforms in the High Plains near Goodland, Kansas, from May 22 to July 15. Their tools include storm-chasing vehicles, radars, and an armored research aircraft. Better prediction of storms and tornadoes could one day result.

NASA Scientist: Lightning Studies May Provide Earlier Tornado Alerts

Tue, 25 Apr 2000 14:12:12 EDT

On May 3, 1999, more than 50 tornadoes cut a killer swath across the Great Plains, taking more than 40 lives. One year later, NASA researcher Steve Goodman demonstrates how another foul-weather hazard -- lightning -- could be the key to predicting such devastating storms.

A Hard Wind Is Gonna Blow: Minimizing The Destruction From Tornadoes

Mon, 20 Mar 2000 09:15:15 EST

This year 800 tornadoes will strike in the United States, resulting in deaths, injuries, and millions of dollars in property damage. Is this a psychic prediction? No. According to the National Severe Storm Laboratory, these statistics are the average for the U.S. But they are statistics that Paneer Selvam, a civil engineering professor at the University of Arkansas, wants to change.

Mobile Doppler Radar Instruments Edge Closer To Swirling Funnel Clouds

Mon, 10 May 1999 06:45:45 EDT

Mobile Doppler radar instruments funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and deployed by scientists Howard Bluestein and Joshua Wurman of the University of Oklahoma and Andrew Pazmany of the University of Massachusetts are edging ever closer to the funnel clouds of tornadoes -- including last week's devastating storms in Oklahoma. One of these storms passed within a half-mile of the mobile units.

Texas Tech Examines Tornado's Aftermath

Wed, 05 May 1999 07:14:14 EDT

Texas Tech University's Wind Engineering Research Center teams have arrived in Oklahoma to perform damage documentation on the tornado that struck Oklahoma City Monday (May 3).

Early Warning: Researchers Testing State-Of-The-Art Technology For Early Detection Of Tornadoes

Tue, 04 May 1999 07:11:11 EDT

Testing has begun on the next generation of tornado forecasting technology that could increase warning time by as much as 50 percent in north Georgia.

Clemson Researchers Simulate Trees Falling On Houses As Part Of Research To Design Tornado 'Safe Rooms'

Mon, 29 Mar 1999 07:00:00 EST

Researchers at Clemson University will simulate a tree falling on a house as part of a project to help develop practical cost-effective tornado "safe rooms" in homes.

La Nina Cycle Puts New Twist On Tornado Season

Mon, 01 Mar 1999 07:34:34 EST

Last year's El Nino brought a variety of weather-related woes, but this year's La Nina may stir up double trouble during the tornado season for Indiana, Arkansas and Mississippi and the western parts of Kentucky and Tennessee.

Researcher Uses "Doppler On Wheels" To Stare Hurricane Georges In The Eye

Sat, 26 Sep 1998 06:32:32 EDT

When a hurricane's spinning mass of rain, lightning and wind reaches shore the last thing you want to do is drive a truck directly into its path. Unless you are atmospheric scientist Joshua Wurman, that is, and you have mounted a large Doppler radar unit on the back of your truck.