Research value of El Reno photography

[David Hoadley]

It just occurred to me, while revising my El Reno map study (see Forum; Target Area; “2013-05-31 Reports: OK/KS“), that there is a treasure trove of data in the video and snapshots taken that day, which may be of use to researchers, trying to figure out what happened. Think back to the Fargo tornado study by Fujita, and how much information he gained from just amateur photographs.


This was an historic storm, that will produce several studies and graduate theses. The comparison of radar scans with damage tracks over a broad area (where was “theâ€￾ tornado at any given time, or at times was it all suction vortices?)-- will be difficult and may require other sources for confirmation.


Chasers should save any record of their locations, times of taping or photography, direction of view, and any recollections as to wind direction, speed, and encounters with debris (size, rolling or airborne, etc.). These may be needed to verify the major changes that were taking place on a broad scale and over a very short period of time.


Wouldn’t Ted have loved to go after this one?

 

[Shawn Schuman]

I can't wait to see what comes out of it. I'm sure Ted would've loved to be alive today where nearly every significant tornado has video and photos (and GPS markers) from all sorts of angles and perspectives. Not to mention mobile radar data for at least a few select cases per year. It's really a great time for tornado science.

 

[Jeff Wright]

The Weather Channel just needs to give Grazulis a blank check. BTW how is Matt Biddle doing these days?

 

[Dan Robinson]

David, I'm working on compiling a detailed log of observations with timestamps based on my GPS logs, which right now have the best time records of all of my devices (camera timestamps are all off by several minutes). I hope to be able to complete this in the coming days/weeks and share.

 

[Greg McLaughlin]

What a great thread. I will be working on building a sizeable model of a supercell and tornadogenesis process in the coming months. I am going to use the El Reno storm along with the Hays, KS storm from May 25, 2012 as the platform upon which I will build the model. I have done several drawings in the past, (much of my work an inspiration from David Hoadley's work in the past), however I have been working for over a year now at creating 3D physical models. I want to incorporate the latest thinking in tornadogenesis....particuarly along the lines of what has been detailed in a research paper from scientists at the University of Wisconsin released at last year's severe storm conference. The wealth of video and photos of the El Reno storm along with my own experience with it should prove valuable in developing a realistic model. Right now I am in the middle of building a diorama of a town being hit by a tornado and I expect to have this model complete by the end of the summer. Once I have it finished, I will start with the supercell model.

 

[Mike Johnston]

Great to see a thread that focuses on the actual research value of chasing. One question for some of you guys: with the volume and greater precision of so much video these days, have there been any advances in what was once known as photogrammetry in advancing tornado research? It used to be a promising field of research, but you just don't hear much about it these days.