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Research To Improve Tornado Warnings A 'Success'

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Jun 24, 2009 7:03 pm US/Mountain

Research To Improve Tornado Warnings A 'Success'

Written by CBS4 Reporter Paul Day

Reporting
Paul Day
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) ― The most elaborate tornado research project ever is being called a success even though mother nature failed to cooperate for much of this year's first phase.

"We basically got skunked," said Josh Wurman, Lead Principal Researcher for the project called Vortex2.

For 3 of the first 5 weeks in the field, top scientists rode in specially outfitted vehicles and chased spring storms across the Great Plains - without encountering a single twister.

"We were chasing storms which were just not the kind of strong Supercells that we thought were likely to make tornados," explained Wurman.

The disappointment came despite the mobilization of the best severe weather experts in the country.

"A lot of us have been doing this for at least 15 years," said David Dowell, an NCAR Scientist assigned to the project.

The team's luck changed on June 5 when researchers found themselves smack in the path of powerful tornado packing 130 mph winds near Chugwater, Wyo.

"This case is fascinating, it is by far the most observed tornado ever," said Wurman.

The Chugwater twister hit in remote prairie, snapped power poles and otherwise caused only minor damage.

Vortex2 is a nearly $12 million project aimed at better understanding what causes tornados to form.

The goal is to improve the alert time for the public, which now is only 13 minutes.

At a media briefing held at NCAR in Boulder Wednesday, scientists said the project did encounter several other fascinating severe storms. The encounters provided valuable information even if it is not tornado specific.

Vortex2 is designed as a two year project, so researchers will have another shot next year when they hope to encounter 2, 3, even 4 tornados.

Plans call for expanding their twister-chasing arsenal in 2010 by using unmanned aircraft or drones.

Dowell said despite encountering only one tornado this year, the project is already a success.

He commended co-workers for doing a fabulous job collecting data under difficult conditions.

"When we had an opportunity, we made the most of it," said Dowell.

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