2009.06.05
UPDATED: VORTEX2 successfully intercepts a tornado
UPDATE 4:45 PM SATURDAY: I don't typically do anything to promote programming on TV networks, as it's not the purpose of this blog, but it is worth noting that TornadoVideos.net successfully drove its new "Dominator" vehicle inside the same Wyoming tornado that VORTEX2 intercepted, the video of which can be found here. The Dominator is a different vehicle manned by a entirely different group than the Tornado Intercept Vehicle or TIV, though both are covered by the Discovery Channel series "Storm Chasers." Oh, to have had another week or two in the Plains! END UPDATE
Congratulations are in order for the massive VORTEX2 tornado research team for successfully deploying around a tornado this evening in eastern Wyoming, broadcast live to viewers of The Weather Channel. Of course, those of us on last week's Virginia Tech storm chase wish it could have happened a week ago when we were still in the field, but we have time parameters and have to take whatever weather pattern is there. VORTEX2 also has a time frame that ends in a little more than a week for its 2009 operation, so no doubt a big sigh of relief for those 100-plus scientists who have patiently endured the same low-yield severe weather pattern we did the last couple of weeks. Hopefully this intercept will yield a mine of data about tornado development that will lead to better warnings and saved lives in the future.
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