with winds up to 300 miles an hour and billion dollar paths of destruction
billion dollar paths of destruction
billion dollar paths of destruction tornadoes are some of the least
tornadoes are some of the least
tornadoes are some of the least understood phenomena in nature for years
understood phenomena in nature for years
understood phenomena in nature for years meteorologists and scientists have been
meteorologists and scientists have been
meteorologists and scientists have been trying to decipher how and when
trying to decipher how and when
trying to decipher how and when tornadoes form
tornadoes form
tornadoes form that’s why electronics engineer Tim
that’s why electronics engineer Tim
that’s why electronics engineer Tim Samaras and his team of storm chasers
Samaras and his team of storm chasers
Samaras and his team of storm chasers head straight for the action when
head straight for the action when
head straight for the action when everyone else is running away
Samaras travels with all sorts of low
Samaras travels with all sorts of low and high tech tracking devices whatever
and high tech tracking devices whatever
and high tech tracking devices whatever it takes to get closer than anyone has
it takes to get closer than anyone has
it takes to get closer than anyone has ever been in the back of Tim’s van are
ever been in the back of Tim’s van are
ever been in the back of Tim’s van are six 45-pound probes packed with
six 45-pound probes packed with
six 45-pound probes packed with instruments that measure barometric
instruments that measure barometric
instruments that measure barometric pressure wind speed and direction
pressure wind speed and direction
pressure wind speed and direction temperature and humidity any
temperature and humidity any
temperature and humidity any measurements these probes get from the
measurements these probes get from the
measurements these probes get from the center of the tornado would become the
center of the tornado would become the
center of the tornado would become the basis of a better understanding of how
basis of a better understanding of how
basis of a better understanding of how they form and how they maintain their
they form and how they maintain their
they form and how they maintain their strength photo engineers at National
strength photo engineers at National
strength photo engineers at National Geographic designed a probe and stuffed
Geographic designed a probe and stuffed
Geographic designed a probe and stuffed it full of still and video cameras with
it full of still and video cameras with
it full of still and video cameras with the hope it will survive the onslaught
the hope it will survive the onslaught
the hope it will survive the onslaught of these violent storms
if they can somehow manage to set down
if they can somehow manage to set down their probes directly into the tornado’s
their probes directly into the tornado’s
their probes directly into the tornado’s path will the devices be able to record
path will the devices be able to record
path will the devices be able to record anything or will they be smashed to
anything or will they be smashed to
anything or will they be smashed to smithereens first things first
smithereens first things first
smithereens first things first getting mother nature to cooperate in
getting mother nature to cooperate in
getting mother nature to cooperate in the spring when warm humid air rushing
the spring when warm humid air rushing
the spring when warm humid air rushing up from the south
up from the south
up from the south collides with cooler dry air pushing
collides with cooler dry air pushing
collides with cooler dry air pushing down from Canada severe storms or super
down from Canada severe storms or super
down from Canada severe storms or super cells are formed when these masses
cells are formed when these masses
cells are formed when these masses collide conditions are ripe for tornado
collide conditions are ripe for tornado
collide conditions are ripe for tornado formation
but scientists still aren’t sure exactly
but scientists still aren’t sure exactly what in these conditions causes a
what in these conditions causes a
what in these conditions causes a tornado to form and when you take a look
tornado to form and when you take a look
tornado to form and when you take a look it’s obvious that although they
it’s obvious that although they
it’s obvious that although they generally form under the same conditions
generally form under the same conditions
generally form under the same conditions they come in all shapes and sizes more
they come in all shapes and sizes more
they come in all shapes and sizes more than 1,000 tornadoes touched down every
than 1,000 tornadoes touched down every
than 1,000 tornadoes touched down every year in the United States the majority
year in the United States the majority
year in the United States the majority forming in a swath of the central plains
forming in a swath of the central plains
forming in a swath of the central plains known as Tornado Alley the team first
known as Tornado Alley the team first
known as Tornado Alley the team first sets out on May 3rd toward a promising
sets out on May 3rd toward a promising
sets out on May 3rd toward a promising set of conditions in the Texas Panhandle
set of conditions in the Texas Panhandle
set of conditions in the Texas Panhandle over the next six weeks they rack up
over the next six weeks they rack up
over the next six weeks they rack up over 25,000 miles as they crisscross
over 25,000 miles as they crisscross
over 25,000 miles as they crisscross eight states hunting for that elusive
eight states hunting for that elusive
eight states hunting for that elusive perfect location but when all goes well
perfect location but when all goes well
perfect location but when all goes well the action is fast and furious it’s
the action is fast and furious it’s
the action is fast and furious it’s great for Tim he needs less than 10
great for Tim he needs less than 10
great for Tim he needs less than 10 seconds to flip a switch
seconds to flip a switch
seconds to flip a switch make sure the probe is facing north and
make sure the probe is facing north and
make sure the probe is facing north and run back to the car then back to waiting
run back to the car then back to waiting
run back to the car then back to waiting hoping the tornado doesn’t swerve
for once the stormchasers have luck on
for once the stormchasers have luck on their side they get their probes into
their side they get their probes into
their side they get their probes into position just minutes before a massive
position just minutes before a massive
position just minutes before a massive tornado hits this is probe three you can
tornado hits this is probe three you can
tornado hits this is probe three you can actually tell this side of the probe was
actually tell this side of the probe was
actually tell this side of the probe was actually the one that was facing the
actually the one that was facing the
actually the one that was facing the tornado and as you can see there’s lots
tornado and as you can see there’s lots
tornado and as you can see there’s lots of debris pops where who knows what
of debris pops where who knows what
of debris pops where who knows what actually impacted the probe with the new
actually impacted the probe with the new
actually impacted the probe with the new data from the probe Tim made a
data from the probe Tim made a
data from the probe Tim made a surprising discovery the barometric
surprising discovery the barometric
surprising discovery the barometric pressure inside a tornado drops farther
pressure inside a tornado drops farther
pressure inside a tornado drops farther than anyone realized helping explain how
than anyone realized helping explain how
than anyone realized helping explain how tornadoes maintain their strength the
tornadoes maintain their strength the
tornadoes maintain their strength the probe recorded images from the edge of a
probe recorded images from the edge of a
probe recorded images from the edge of a twister but none from inside the tornado
twister but none from inside the tornado
twister but none from inside the tornado that the closer I come to that type of
that the closer I come to that type of
that the closer I come to that type of natural phenomena the more you you
natural phenomena the more you you
natural phenomena the more you you detect the more you can discover them
detect the more you can discover them
detect the more you can discover them that the bigger is the fascination
”
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