Experts Preview Major Study On Tornadoes In Southeast United States

On Monday, February 28, NOAA and partner researchers will offer a public webinar to preview one of the largest and most comprehensive severe storm field campaigns to date, which begins on March 1 across the southeast United States.

Storms in this region can pose a higher risk to people and property for two reasons. First, some thunderstorms and the tornadoes they produce can be challenging to predict in advance because they often develop and evolve quickly. Second, the Southeast U.S. tends to be more vulnerable because of unique scientific and socioeconomic factors. For example, previous research has shown the frequency of nighttime tornadoes, the amount and distribution of mobile/manufactured housing, and more significant population density relative to other tornado-prone areas in the U.S.

The March 2021 outbreak of tornadoes damaged this home in Sawyerville, Alabama. NOAA and its cooperative institute at the University of Oklahoma are using uncrewed systems and other tools to improve tornado damage assessments and better understand tornado wind impacts. (NOAA NSSL)

Called PERiLS (Propagation, Evolution, and Rotation in Linear Storms), the campaign will deploy dozens of instruments to measure the atmosphere near and inside storms. Researchers will focus on quasi-linear convective systems that produce tornadoes, commonly known as squall lines. They will gather data in predefined areas from the Missouri Bootheel southward to the Gulf Coast and from the mid and lower-Mississippi Valley eastward to the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. NOAA and the National Science Foundation fund the project.

WHAT: Virtual overview of the PERiLS research project, a virtual tour of research vehicles, and audience Q&A

WHEN: Monday, February 28, 2:30 – 4:00 pm E.T. (USA)

WHO:

• Anthony Lyza, postdoctoral research associate, NOAA’s Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations (CIWRO)
• Erik Rasmussen, research scientist, NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory
• Elizabeth Smith, research meteorologist, NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory
• Vanna Chmielewski, research scientist, NOAA’s CIWRO
• Melissa Wagner, research scientist, NOAA’s CIWRO
• Mike Biggerstaff, professor, University of Oklahoma
• Kevin Knupp, professor, University of Alabama – Huntsville
• Chris Weiss, professor, Texas Tech University

HOW:

1. Register for the free webinar: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4135009665965502989

2. View the video after the event: https://www.nssl.noaa.gov/projects/perils/

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

NOAA PERiLS webpage: https://www.nssl.noaa.gov/projects/perils/