2/18/09 DISC: MS/AL/GA

[Damon Scott Hynes]

Why was the EF-3 tornado track so brief compared to the EF-2 track? Wouldn't one expect the more intense tornado to last longer with more favorable conditions in general for the storm? What happened?

All depends on what it hit, or didn't hit!

 

[Jason Harris]

I thought the conclusion was that based on the track analysis that the EF-3 was actually on the ground for less time not just fewer things measureable that were hit?

re:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Harris View Post
Why was the EF-3 tornado track so brief compared to the EF-2 track? Wouldn't one expect the more intense tornado to last longer with more favorable conditions in general for the storm? What happened?
[Damon Scott Hynes]
All depends on what it hit, or didn't hit!

 

[Jeff Snyder]

I thought the conclusion was that based on the track analysis that the EF-3 was actually on the ground for less time not just fewer things measureable that were hit?

re:

Quote:

The correlation between intensity as measured by the EF scale and tornado width/track length isn't particularly strong. There are large, relatively long-lived weak tornadoes, and there are relatively small, short-lived strong tornadoes. See On the Relationship of Tornado Path Length and Width to Intensity (Brooks, 2003, Wea. & Forecasting). In general, longer-lived tornadoes (and larger tornadoes) tend to be stronger, but it's not a particularly great tendency.

 

[Jason Harris]

Thanks for the info Jeff--pages 317-318 are quite interesting: any thoughts on the mysterious creep-up in F3 path widths?

 

[Dave Marshall]

I'm kind of resurrecting an old thread here.

I chase out of Warner Robins, Georgia, right in the middle of the state. I chased the Taylor County storm from just east of Columbus, GA to Warner Robins.

This outbreak was unusual for two reasons. First was the sudden upswing in storm intensity as night fell. Second was the very classic structures of the supercells in the first line of storms to cross Georgia. As the night wore on they became more embedded and wide spread. I think the NWS office in Peachtree City, GA was caught off guard.

I picked up the tornado just south of Reynolds GA, near the end of the 'part 3' video on youtube that was linked to earlier in this thread. His videos ended as the first wall/funnel roped out and the second one formed just in front of it. That was the point at which it intercepted me.


I've got a good summary and some photos here: http://www.stormnet.org/media/photos/view/3.html

and one video clip here: http://www.stormnet.org/media/videos.html

 

[Brett Adair]

I was in the field and chased the storms on that day. The second storm that BMX issued the tornado emergency for Anniston on was based on reports from the first storm I do believe. I was called be a person at BMX and made aware of a 130+kt gate to gate rotational couplet moving in my direction. I had a massive rotating wall cloud to my NW by about 2 miles approaching me rapidly, but I have no idea why the TOR EM. was pulled.

I know that there is formal language coming for the "tornado emergency" phrase within the coming months per the NOAA paper issued on the Super Tuesday outbreak. Hopefully we can get some real clarification. However, the Anniston metro is a rather populated area so if a tornado were on the ground the emergency would be been warranted.

 

[Dave Gallaher]

Nice capture, Dave. That's some good structure for this neck of the woods.

 

[Bob Hartig]

However, the Anniston metro is a rather populated area so if a tornado were on the ground the emergency would be been warranted.

From what I recall, the tornado emergency statements that day were all Doppler warned with no ground truth. Correct me if I'm wrong. But if I'm right, then bear in mind that the effectiveness of the enhanced warning will depend greatly on the rarity of its use combined with eyewitness confirmation. For the term tornado emergency to have its intended, special-scenario, dead-certainty impact, the term tornado warning has also got to convey a life-threatening sense of urgency, and should suffice for most situations, whether Doppler-warned or actual sightings.

I, too, am looking forward to seeing the guidelines NOAA sets up for use of the enhanced wording.