KELOLAND TV, SD
05-08-06
Tornado Research
As severe weather season swings into high gear, new teams of researchers will
be in the field this season on a quest to learn more about tornadoes.
If there's a twister in KELOLAND this summer, there's a good chance
researchers will be nearby. In an effort to learn more about tornadoes, the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, is funding a $1 million
project with Iowa State University and storm chaser Tim Samaras to do some
fascinating work.
Their goal is to take precise measurements of the tornado at ground level. That
means the storm chaser students from Iowa State will be in front of these
tornadoes just seconds before it touches down, making it very dangerous work.
What makes this story interesting to KELOLAND is there is a good chance these
crews will conduct some of their research in our area. They are funded through
June and Samaras has had some of his biggest catches in Manchester in 2003
and near Spencer, Iowa in 2004.