Since today was a down day, it's the perfect chance to introduce you to one of the most awesome members of the CSWR fleet. Meet Probe 13:
(Photo by Matt Rydzik)Isn't she a beauty? I believe Probe 13's an early '90s Nissan Pathfinder, but I'm not really sure. She's old, she's ugly, and she gets less than 17 miles to the gallon. Yes folks, she seems to be almost universally revered.
Probe 13 isn't just a pretty piece of metal though, she's a genuine tool of scientific research. Probe 13 is part of CSWR's mobile mesonet and, courtesy of the instruments mounted on the mast attached to her roof, is able to measure and record temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and wind direction. The mobile mesonets can then drive through storm environments and get an idea of what is going on before or while tornadoes form. Probe 13 also has space for three super special pods, which are each equipped with two HD video cameras and instruments to measure winds, temperature, and relative humidity. While the mobile mesonets give us data on the storm environment at around basketball hoop height, the pods give us data of the storm environment very close to the ground, and since they're pretty heavy (about 120 pounds each) and don't generally have people hanging around in them, they're able to actually be placed in what the DOW people think is the likely path of a tornado. Tornadoes are still mysterious little (big) phenomena, so it's rather convenient to have a piece of equipment that can take and record all of these measurements for us.
(Another photo by Matt Rydzik. Arrows pointing to Probe 13 pods by yours truly!)
Probe 13 isn't just a pretty piece of metal though, she's a genuine tool of scientific research. Probe 13 is part of CSWR's mobile mesonet and, courtesy of the instruments mounted on the mast attached to her roof, is able to measure and record temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and wind direction. The mobile mesonets can then drive through storm environments and get an idea of what is going on before or while tornadoes form. Probe 13 also has space for three super special pods, which are each equipped with two HD video cameras and instruments to measure winds, temperature, and relative humidity. While the mobile mesonets give us data on the storm environment at around basketball hoop height, the pods give us data of the storm environment very close to the ground, and since they're pretty heavy (about 120 pounds each) and don't generally have people hanging around in them, they're able to actually be placed in what the DOW people think is the likely path of a tornado. Tornadoes are still mysterious little (big) phenomena, so it's rather convenient to have a piece of equipment that can take and record all of these measurements for us.
(Another photo by Matt Rydzik. Arrows pointing to Probe 13 pods by yours truly!)Probe 13's also equipped with a brand new padlock (all of the locks on the doors won't unlock from the outside), and several snazzy stickers. I think this one might be my favorite:
Hope you remembered mom on Mother's Day, Ratt! I, too, like your Little Miss Attitude sticker! Should be made into a T-shirt. Heard that OK had some tornado touchdown, with even some deaths, I think. Be careful....
ReplyDeleteO.
I don't know what's better, Erin. The sticker or the fact you need a padlock to lock that vehicle. LOL!
ReplyDeleteGood luck out there and stay safe!