# Tornadoes in the US



## dbeyat45 (Sep 4, 2013)

I've been interested in weather and climate for many years and I've just come across this:  http://www.spc.noaa.gov/wcm/adj.html

 .... where it appears that tornadoes in 2013 are the* lowest level ever recorded*.  







Is this true?


----------



## JustBonee (Sep 4, 2013)

Certainly good news, as when they do come, they seem to be more powerful and larger in scope than ever before... wiping out whole towns.   
Hurricanes also have changed their patterns and behavior here.   For the last few years, all has been quiet on the Gulf Coast of the US.  Before that, we would routinely see several tropical storms yearly.  So far this year ..nothing.


----------



## dbeyat45 (Sep 4, 2013)

Boo's Mom said:


> Certainly good news, as when they do come, they seem to be more powerful and larger in scope than ever before... wiping out whole towns.
> Hurricanes also have changed their patterns and behavior here.   For the last few years, all has been quiet on the Gulf Coast of the US.  Before that, we would routinely see several tropical storms yearly.  So far this year ..nothing.


Bonnie,  it seems that tropical storm activity - globally - is also at all time lows.  What's going on?


----------



## That Guy (Sep 4, 2013)

Low count but devastatingly huge when they appeared.


----------



## JustBonee (Sep 4, 2013)

dbeyat45 said:


> I've been interested in weather and climate for many years and I've just come across this:  http://www.spc.noaa.gov/wcm/adj.html



I've enjoyed looking through their information on that website from time to time also.


----------



## Katybug (Sep 4, 2013)

dbeyat45 said:


> Bonnie,  it seems that tropical storm activity - globally - is also at all time lows.  What's going on?



I'm afraid to even write this for fear of jinxing, but the southeast coast has been VERY lucky with hurricanes the last few seasons.  The northeast, not so much.  My SIL thought it would be a good idea awhile back to have a bonding adventure with my g'daughter Katie.  He took her to NYC for 4 days. Usually he is totally on top of things, but he couldn't have been more off on this one.  Sandy hit at full steam and ELEVEN days later they got home.  It was a nightmare, as you know.  They were finally lucky enough to have a friend drive them to Philly to catch a plane home.  I can't even imagine the main streets of NYC pitch black & shut down for days, but we know they were.

And I remain afraid that when they hit again, and you know they will, it will be even more devastating.  

Hurricane Hugo came inland 200 miles in '89 and created zillions$$ of devastation for Charlotte.   For those on the coast, I know it's an ongoing worry, one I couldn't deal with as much I would love to live there..


----------



## dbeyat45 (Sep 4, 2013)

That Guy said:


> Low count but devastatingly huge when they appeared.



Well, yes and no according to people who study tropical storms;  Roger Pielke Jr. is a professor of environmental studies at the Center for Science and Technology Policy Research at the University of Colorado at Boulder: 
http://rogerpielkejr.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/new-peer-reviewed-paper-on-global.html


----------



## That Guy (Sep 5, 2013)

I understand their study but just wouldn't want to have been in Oklahoma a while back.  They might differ from personal experience.  As the son of an aviator, I grew up with an interest in meteorology.  Fascinating and difficult science.


----------



## dbeyat45 (Sep 5, 2013)

That Guy said:


> I understand their study but just wouldn't want to have been in Oklahoma a while back.  They might differ from personal experience.  As the son of an aviator, I grew up with an interest in meteorology.  _*Fascinating and difficult science*_.



Now ain't that the truth ..... hard to imagine _*anything*_ with more complexity than weather/climate:  
Clouds, Sun, ocean currents & oscillations, cosmic rays, aerosols, orbit & precession, etc, etc, etc.


----------



## That Guy (Sep 6, 2013)

Then, there's always . . .


----------



## basefare (Sep 6, 2013)

That site is the NOAA weather prediction center here in Norman, OK. I have toured it as I have been interested in weather for  many years. Oklahoma has their share of violent weather. It's scary sometime.


----------



## dbeyat45 (Sep 7, 2013)

basefare said:


> That site is the NOAA weather prediction center here in Norman, OK. I have toured it as I have been interested in weather for  many years. Oklahoma has their share of violent weather. It's scary sometime.



It's often scary here too BaseFare ..... although cyclone activity (this far down the coast) has been fairly quiet in recent years.


----------



## That Guy (Sep 7, 2013)

When I reported to the headquarters building on my first assignment in North Central Texas, Tornado Alley, the lieutenant told me that if a tornado is bearing down on us a siren would go off and to make tracks for the brick building across the parade ground.  So, nothing going on . . . sitting around feeling sleepy when suddenly a siren blares!  I was wide awake and ready to run for cover but noticed nobody else seemed concerned.  It was the noon siren.  Time for chow...!


----------



## JustBonee (Sep 8, 2013)

That Guy said:


> When I reported to the headquarters building on my first assignment in *North Central Texas, Tornado Alley,* the lieutenant told me that if a tornado is bearing down on us a siren would go off and to make tracks for the brick building across the parade ground.  So, nothing going on . . . sitting around feeling sleepy when suddenly a siren blares!  I was wide awake and ready to run for cover but noticed nobody else seemed concerned.  It was the noon siren.  Time for chow...!








 One _very_ BIG Alley!!


----------



## Katybug (Sep 8, 2013)

What amazes me are those who chase these things.  They must have a death wish.


----------



## Pappy (Sep 8, 2013)

Katybug said:


> What amazes me are those who chase these things.  They must have a death wish.



there was one guy that just recently got killed when he got caught in a tornado. He had followed them for years.
We have a few straight line gusts of winds around here which can do a lot of damage.


----------



## Katybug (Sep 8, 2013)

Pappy said:


> there was one guy that just recently got killed when he got caught in a tornado. He had followed them for years.
> We have a few straight line gusts of winds around here which can do a lot of damage.



*I've heard of several of the chasers being killed this season, and obviously many others over the years.  Pure insanity to me, tho I know there is a method to their madness.  I just don't get it!*


----------



## That Guy (Sep 8, 2013)

I believe those chasers are just driven to discovery.  Some may be adrenaline junkies but most are pushing the limits in the sake of science and we've learned a lot from their exploration.


----------

