Monthly Archives: May 2011

In defense of Chris Novy

Posted on 30 May 2011 by tornatrix

I first met Chris Novy upon relocating to Oklahoma back in 2002, first as the moderator of the wx-chase e-mail list, and later from his NSWW presentations on storm spotter safety. Chris is a multimedia wizard, an ethical chaser, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Chasing, Media | 9 Comments

24 May 2011: Lengthy recap

Posted on 30 May 2011 by tornatrix

I did not chase on 24 May 2011, a day that many Oklahomans will find difficult to forget. I had signed up months before for an NSF workshop entitled “Science: Becoming the Messenger.” My husband, in jest, admonished me for … Continue reading →

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NPR tornado safety story

Posted on 26 May 2011 by tornatrix

I “appeared” on NPR‘s Morning Edition in a tornado safety piece by Jon Hamilton. This is my first appearance ever on NPR, and I’m pleased with how the story turned out. Mr. Hamilton interviewed me over the phone for about … Continue reading →

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24 May 2011: Central OK outbreak in brief

Posted on 24 May 2011 by tornatrix

To make a long story short: I did not go chasing because I was attending a workshop at the NWC, which let out two hours early. Lacking a chase partner, I stayed, and tried to keep the workshop organizers (many … Continue reading →

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22 May 2011: Allison, TX funnel cloud

Posted on 23 May 2011 by tornatrix

I am dead tired right now, but wanted to put forth a frame grab showing a funnel cloud that we witnessed near Allison, TX, a few miles west of Denton, at about 7:43 p.m. this evening. Dan and I went … Continue reading →

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21 May 2011: Hickory and Ada, OK Tornadoes

Posted on 22 May 2011 by tornatrix

For those who aren’t familiar, Rocky Rascovich’s annual chaser picnic in Piedmont, OK is a local institution. It usually occurs on a Saturday in May, when skies are blue and there’s nothing to chase. Not only does it give the … Continue reading →

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Tornadoes stress vegetation

Posted on 17 May 2011 by tornatrix

NASA Science News posted a fascinating piece about the use of satellite imagery in detecting tornado damage tracks. When I was an undergraduate research assistant at the University of Wisconsin – Madison about a decade ago, I examined similar infrared … Continue reading →

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New Taipei City, Taiwan tornado

Posted on 15 May 2011 by tornatrix

In the meantime, my attention has been drawn to a widely-photographed tornado on May 12th near Taipei, Taiwan. It is not often that you see a tornado in a densely-populated city (simply because cities cover such a small portion of … Continue reading →

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Oklahoma quiet for now

Posted on 15 May 2011 by tornatrix

Although May is the peak of tornado season in Oklahoma and the surrounding southern Great Plains states, we often go for many days in a row without storms as the troughs and ridges march by in slow motion. Things were … Continue reading →

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Auckland, New Zealand tornado

Posted on 4 May 2011 by tornatrix

My attention has been drawn to some rather dramatic footage of a tornado in Auckland, New Zealand. A single fatality resulted. The tornado easily sweeps aside vehicles – yet more evidence that trying to tangle with a tornado in a … Continue reading →

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