The largest tornado-research project in history, coordinated by the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Okla., known as Vortex2, is currently underway. The project, designed to gather clues about quicker ways to predict tornadoes and thunderstorms with the hope of saving lives, kicked off on May 10 and continues through June 13.
More than 100 scientists in an armada of vehicles equipped with state-of-the-art mobile atmospheric monitoring devices will roam across the central United States in search of tornadoes hoping to collect the most data ever assembled about individual tornadic thunderstorms.
The tornado-prone area the team will cover encompasses nine states, roughly 900 miles north to south, from eastern New Mexico to southwestern Minnesota.
The goal of Vortex2 is to find ways to allow more warning time before tornadoes hit. The $12 million project, funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, will help improve both accuracy and the lead time of tornado warnings. Currently, warnings are issued on about 75 percent of the storms that produce tornadoes, and warning time average is about 18 minutes.
The scientists participating represent various universities and research institutes. Each one has a specific role within the project, and will measure different aspects of the storms from various angles. They will generate a composite view of a tornado, from the first raindrops to the aftermath. While the fleet roams the plains, meteorologists at the National Weather Center in Norman will work to provide daily forecasts – as well as safety tips – to help the scientists in the field make decisions.
Researchers plan to position mobile radars around the storms. They will supplement the radar with video photogrammetry, which uses frame-by-frame analysis of clouds or debris to gauge the winds around a tornado. Researchers also plan to utilize 24 StickNets, small, tripod-mounted weather stations, and 14 wind-sampling Tornado Pods. They will launch up to 15 weather balloons, plus an unmanned aircraft in some situations; and position 10 weather stations mounted on vehicle roofs.
According to Jim Purpura, who heads the National Weather Service office in Rancho Bernardo, the team is hoping to watch slower-moving storms – ones moving 20 to 25 mph. “That’s a good speed to be able to keep up with the storm. If we get a couple of storms like that, we’ll be happy,” he said.
After these initial five weeks, the Vortex2 project will resume again next spring.
Learn more about preparing for tornadoes from the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).