THE THRILL OF THE CHASE HOW TO
THE THRILL OF THE CHASE DRIVER

Р Р†Р вЂљРЎС™You need to have downdrafts because these are the airstreams that bring rotation to the ground, but if you have too much cold air, that disrupts the tornado process,Р Р†Р вЂљРЎСљ he says. ItР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћs a delicate balance, and whatР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћs known as a Р Р†Р вЂљРЎС™Goldilocks problemР Р†Р вЂљРЎСљ in science, says Markowski. Mix this with an initiating force such as a cold front, and you have a tornado or other severe storm. In their day-before research, the club tries to identify instability in the atmosphere-winds changing direction with height (known as wind shear), which is a hallmark sign of tornadoes. We look at computer weather models that simulate the atmosphere ahead of time,Р Р†Р вЂљРЎСљ says Guay. Р Р†Р вЂљРЎС™The forecasting process usually starts the day before. While the students spend months in advance discussing overall safety and general best practice, the real crunch work for forecasting storms can only happen a day or two in advance of their trip. That careful planning ensures that the students can stay out of harmР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћs way while still being able to see some of natureР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћs most beautiful meteorological phenomena.

We always make sure that wherever weР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћre going, we have a route east, south, north, and west,Р Р†Р вЂљРЎСљ she says. Р Р†Р вЂљРЎС™There arenР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћt always a lot of roads where storms hit, so you have to plan your escape routes well. IР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћve been really impressed with PSU Storm ChaseР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћs level of conscientiousness and dedication to being responsible, Р Р†Р вЂљРЎСљ says Markowski.Р вЂќР’В®scape routes top the list of Р Р†Р вЂљРЎС™must havesР Р†Р вЂљРЎСљ for storm chasing, says Faith Eherts, a senior majoring in meteorology who participated in the chase this summer.

THE THRILL OF THE CHASE DRIVER

Sometimes there are little tips we try to give, like the driver should never look at the sky, because being distracted is not a safe way to drive.

THE THRILL OF THE CHASE HOW TO

Р Р†Р вЂљРЎС™What we typically focus on is the dos and donР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћts of storm chasing, and how to be safe.

The club regularly gets feedback from their adviser, Bill Syrett, TITLE, and to prepare for storm season in the summer and their annual chase trip, they bring experienced storm chasers in for guest speakers-such as Matt Kumjian,, Yvette Richardson,, and Paul Markowski. Safety firstР вЂќР’В®ven though weather can change drastically in the span of a few hours, the club spends months planning for their journey. You can see a vortex tilting, and other concepts we learn about in class,Р Р†Р вЂљРЎСљ says Guay, who is president of PSU Storm Chase. And itР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћs also seeing concepts from meteorology textbooks come to life when watching storm develop.

Р Р†Р вЂљРЎС™Storm chasing is all about using our forecasting skills to be able to find storms. The trip was not for entertainment, but rather, it served as a way to apply forecasting techniques they had learned in their meteorology courses. If they witness a tornado, their day was a success.Р вЂќР вЂЎor ten days this summer, Guay and 11 other members of the student organization PSU Storm Chase traveled the country in search of severe weather-covering 5,700 miles and 16 states in only 10 days. If the rotation is just right and a cloud walls starts protruding downward, it will mean that the 500-some miles he and 11 other Penn State students drove that morning will not have been in vain. In the middle of a wide open plain in the panhandle of Oklahoma, Penn State student Brad Guay squints as he peers at clouds several miles in the distance.

The thrill of the chase