Terry Tyler
EF5
Have any weather myths ?
Have you ever heard an old farmers weather tale and wondered if there was any fact behind it? Well, if you have. Here is the place to post and ask the professionals. Ill start off with a few common myths. There are lots of them out there. The goal is to determine whether the myth is confirmed, plausible or busted.
Okay! Lets get started guys! ! !
MYTH 1 - Lightning never strikes twice in the same place: BUSTED!
Lightning sometimes does strike the same place twice. Infact, its not uncommon for the stepped-leader of the lightning to hit and create the groundwork for multiple return strokes on the same bolt charge-path.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djCdfSl-5o8
MYTH 2 - When you can see the underside of the trees leaves, a storm is brewing: PLAUSIBLE!
This myth is certainly plausible, but is not a rule of thumb. Often times, a thunderstorms gust-front can advance ahead of the storm and create relatively strong surface winds just ahead of the storm. The storms advancing cold-pool can blow the leaves of the trees around so you see the underside of them. While it is sometimes common, this is not the only case. The only thing that is needed to see the underside of a trees leaves is a good gust of wind, so it is PLAUSIBLE.
Here is an example of trees blowing around with no storms.
MYTH 3 - When the rain stops and you see large hail, a tornado is immienent: PLAUSIBLE!
The myth is plausible. Most large hail is kept closest to the strongest portion of the storms updraft and is closer to the updraft-downdraft interface. That is typically where you would find to higher chance of finding a tornado. More often then not with tornadic supercells, large hail does fall prior to the tornado but this is not a rule of thumb. Especially in the case of low-topped storms, or storms with weak updraft intensities.
MYTH 4 - Tornadoes jump metro-areas, rivers and valleys: BUSTED!
Tornadoes do not jump over rivers. In some cases, low-level moisture can actually increase downwind of a large body of water and aid in the quality of moisture being ingested into the storms updraft. Tornadoes also can form in mountainous areas with large peaks and valleys. This is a storm in the sequoia mountains. The tornado was probably 12,000FT above sea-level and had hailstones falling at the same time. Metro-areas are not immune to tornadoes either. Salt Lake City, UT Oklahoma City, OK and Fort Worth, TX have all been hit by tornadoes.
MYTH 5 - Highway overpasses are safe places to be during tornadoes: BUSTED!
It has been clinically proven by leading scientists that overpasses are not areas of preferred shelter during tornadic storms. Winds are often funnelled through the crevaces of the overpass and can sometimes increase in power and pull you out. Also, some overpasses have different constructions in place that may not allow for a place to 'hold-on'.
There are other weather myths out there, alot of local and regional myths too. Hopefully some of you guys will take a stab at them. Might be an enjoyable activity for the downtime.
Have you ever heard an old farmers weather tale and wondered if there was any fact behind it? Well, if you have. Here is the place to post and ask the professionals. Ill start off with a few common myths. There are lots of them out there. The goal is to determine whether the myth is confirmed, plausible or busted.
Okay! Lets get started guys! ! !
MYTH 1 - Lightning never strikes twice in the same place: BUSTED!
Lightning sometimes does strike the same place twice. Infact, its not uncommon for the stepped-leader of the lightning to hit and create the groundwork for multiple return strokes on the same bolt charge-path.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djCdfSl-5o8
MYTH 2 - When you can see the underside of the trees leaves, a storm is brewing: PLAUSIBLE!
This myth is certainly plausible, but is not a rule of thumb. Often times, a thunderstorms gust-front can advance ahead of the storm and create relatively strong surface winds just ahead of the storm. The storms advancing cold-pool can blow the leaves of the trees around so you see the underside of them. While it is sometimes common, this is not the only case. The only thing that is needed to see the underside of a trees leaves is a good gust of wind, so it is PLAUSIBLE.
Here is an example of trees blowing around with no storms.
MYTH 3 - When the rain stops and you see large hail, a tornado is immienent: PLAUSIBLE!
The myth is plausible. Most large hail is kept closest to the strongest portion of the storms updraft and is closer to the updraft-downdraft interface. That is typically where you would find to higher chance of finding a tornado. More often then not with tornadic supercells, large hail does fall prior to the tornado but this is not a rule of thumb. Especially in the case of low-topped storms, or storms with weak updraft intensities.
MYTH 4 - Tornadoes jump metro-areas, rivers and valleys: BUSTED!
Tornadoes do not jump over rivers. In some cases, low-level moisture can actually increase downwind of a large body of water and aid in the quality of moisture being ingested into the storms updraft. Tornadoes also can form in mountainous areas with large peaks and valleys. This is a storm in the sequoia mountains. The tornado was probably 12,000FT above sea-level and had hailstones falling at the same time. Metro-areas are not immune to tornadoes either. Salt Lake City, UT Oklahoma City, OK and Fort Worth, TX have all been hit by tornadoes.
MYTH 5 - Highway overpasses are safe places to be during tornadoes: BUSTED!
It has been clinically proven by leading scientists that overpasses are not areas of preferred shelter during tornadic storms. Winds are often funnelled through the crevaces of the overpass and can sometimes increase in power and pull you out. Also, some overpasses have different constructions in place that may not allow for a place to 'hold-on'.
There are other weather myths out there, alot of local and regional myths too. Hopefully some of you guys will take a stab at them. Might be an enjoyable activity for the downtime.
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