Copyright © 2011 by University of Nebraska–Lincoln, all rights reserved. Redistribution or republication in any medium, except as allowed under the Fair Use provisions of U.S. copyright law, requires express written consent from the editors and advance notification of the publisher, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
The attempt to intercept supercell thunderstorms and tornadoes from as close a distance as possible is known as storm chasing. The prevalence of flat terrain and a scarcity of trees combine with a climatology rich in spectacular and violent weather to make the Great Plains the optimal arena for storm chasing. Each spring, people from all corners of the country and beyond visit "Tornado Alley," an area of the Great Plains stretching from North Texas to Nebraska that is the breeding ground of more tornadoes per area than anywhere in the world, to storm chase. In addition to meteorological researchers, amateur weather enthusiasts, photographers, and videographers chase storms as a hobby, and emergency management "storm spotters" and television news crews chase to provide early warnings to the public.
Storm chasing was formally begun by a
handful of scientists at the National Severe
Storms Laboratory (NSSL) in Norman, Oklahoma,
in the mid-1970s to obtain ground
truth information in support of the development
of weather radar. Storm chasing is extremely
hazardous, especially when attempted
by those without adequate meteorological
training and experience, but the recent swell
of attention given the endeavor by the media
and the popularity of the Hollywood movie
Large-scale, research-oriented storm intercept
projects also became more numerous in the
late 1990s as meteorologists sought to improve
warning technologies and understand tornado
genesis. Field intercept projects of note include
the Verification of the Origins of Rotation in
Tornadoes Experiment (VORTEX), an ongoing
multimillion-dollar research project begun in
1994 and headquartered at NSSL. VORTEX utilizes
four to ten vehicles equipped with Mobile
Mesonets, an array of sensors mounted on car
tops that measure and record weather data very
near and around tornadoes. Mobile weather
balloon units, video and photogrammetry
crews, and radar-equipped "hurricane hunter"
aircraft are sometimes used.
Despite their relative frequency on the Plains, tornadoes are still rare events. Even the most experienced and schooled chasers face poor odds of success. Forecasts must be made hours before a tornado touches down, and it is common for chases to cover more than 1,000 miles in a day to and from a "target area." An intercept rate of one tornado witnessed per ten chases is considered a respectable average. In spite of these odds, scientific storm chasing has resulted in the collection of valuable weather data. The success of such field research operations coupled with the high profile storm chasing has gained from media coverage of recent tornado events such as the 1999 Oklahoma City outbreak has stirred widespread fascination with violent weather and made storm chasing an activity likely to remain part of Great Plains science and recreation.
See also FOLKWAYS: Tornado Stories / PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT: Tornadoes.