The Vortex2 project has been operating under the “we will sacrifice sleep (and breakfast *sob*) for tornadoes!” mantra for the past couple of days, and with glorious results. We have seen fabulous RCCs (really cool clouds), and these RCCs really have looked like they might just become tornadic; but alas the weather has continually failed us. Yours truly has been largely breakfastless for the past couple of days as we’ve driven hours upon hours and chased mesocyclone after mesocyclone (I may be exaggerating, but only a little) only to find that our beautiful storms quickly become outflow dominant and just plain yucky (on radar) when we arrive to observe them. The tornadoes we like (ie not gustnadoes) don’t like outflow. Bummer.
On a plus note, these people with fancy cameras (I hear they’re filming for this thing called IMAX) asked Vortex2 if they could take some levitating airborne vehicle called a helicopter and film us as we were leaving Omaha, Nebraska this morning after I was mercilessly barred from completing my breakfast. It was pretty cool (the helicopter, not being forced to abandon my pineapple mid chew). I should’ve put my game face on…
The helicopter and NOXP, the super cool dual-polarization mobile radar home of one Dr. Don Burgess (he likes Dairy Queen), as seen from the bug splattered, cracked windshield of Probe 13.
RCC #2 of the day. Mesocyclone: to the left. Haze of dirty Probe 13 back seat driver’s side window: in the front. Tornado: nonexistent.
This bit in the middle that looks like it might be forming a tornado is indeed not a tornado. This sneaky little thing is a scud cloud. Scud clouds are IMPOSTERS. They only want to make you think they’re tornadoes. Like those non venomous red, black, and yellow banded snakes that look like other venomous red, black, and yellow banded snakes. Yeah, just like that. Those jerks.
Some whole wheat for a balanced diet.
An extra little note: Tornadogenesis failure data isn't all bad. Actually, one can say it's pretty good data to have. If we can figure out why tornadoes don't form when we think they will, that may bring us one step closer to figuring out why they form when they do. Hooray! Science rocks!
I'm glad you added that disclaimer. rjt would be sad to see you speak so negatively about tornadogenesis failure.
ReplyDeleteGood reasoning, Ratt! Just take the approach that you are getting 100% results on "non-tornados" and you will then have to back into some special theories of why they don't form. Always an optimist! The same line of reasoning makes me say that today is my "un-birthday".
ReplyDeleteKeep shoveling down those pineapples,
O.