The Man Who Caught the Storm
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Brown, Larry, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 59, 63, 67, 180
Browning, Keith, 49–51
Byers, Horace, 47–49, 50
Canadian County, Okla., 199, 203, 232, 233
Carter, Brad, 75, 78
Carter, Geoff, 181–82
Center for Severe Weather Research, 87, 114
ChaserCon, 150, 155, 181
Clark, Pa., 2002 tornado in, 78–79
climate change, 252–53
Colorado, 11, 15, 29, 31, 67, 68, 72, 80, 109, 127, 128, 150
Commerce Department, U.S., 38, 64, 65
Conference on Severe Local Storms, 109–10
Congress, U.S., 47, 48, 180
convective available potential energy (CAPE), 162, 203, 206, 252
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), 182, 185
Denver Research Institute (DRI), 21–24, 25, 30, 59, 62, 65, 76
Discovery Channel, 156, 157, 165, 166, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 180, 181, 191, 192
Dixie Alley, 177–79, 206
Doppler on Wheels (DOW), 90, 114, 116, 134, 163, 214, 215–17, 251
advantage of, 131–32
El Reno tornado data captured by, 216–17, 227
Doppler radar, 7, 56, 116, 225
first tornado scan by, 51–52
shortcomings of, 53, 57, 70, 90, 115, 214
Double Creek Estates, 2, 3–4, 238–39
Driven by Passion, 126, 150
Driven by Passion II, 150–51
dry line, 28, 69, 199, 201, 203
EF4 tornadoes, 4, 6, 77, 87, 103, 105, 106, 110, 161, 179, 184, 185, 193, 197, 249, 252
see also Bowdle tornado; Manchester tornado
EF5 tornadoes, 4–6, 7, 36, 56, 103, 105, 110, 133–34, 179, 192–93, 198, 252, 253
violent destruction caused by, 4, 5, 193, 194–95
see also Moore tornado
El Reno tornado (2013), 198, 208–32, 251–53
convergent wind conditions in, 199, 200, 201, 203, 204
deaths in, 224, 227–28, 231, 232
footage captured in, 207, 223–24, 226, 227, 230, 236
forecasters in tracking formation of, 199, 200–201, 202–4, 206
Garfield’s retracing of Tim’s movements in, 236–39
limited visibility in, 219, 220, 221, 226, 229
massive size of, 210, 213, 216, 222, 224, 226, 231, 232, 238, 240
radar data on, 204, 216–17, 227, 231–32, 240
Robinson in, 226, 227, 228, 229–30, 236
subvortex of, 215, 216–17, 223, 224, 227–28, 229, 230, 231, 237, 238, 239
suction vortices of, 223, 231–32
sudden growth of, 208, 226
Tim’s crushed sedan found in aftermath of, 233–35, 240
Tim’s tracking in buildup of, 205–8
unconventional track of, 209, 212, 219, 220, 225–26, 237
unique traits of, 214–15, 217, 220, 223, 225, 231
violent wind velocities of, 211, 213, 217, 226–27, 228, 231, 232, 238
warnings issued for, 201–2, 203, 204
Weather Channel crew caught in, 222–24, 227
E-Turtle probes, 57, 64
explosives testing, 21–23, 73, 109, 180
Finley, Cathy, 119–23, 125, 132, 133, 134, 136, 142, 143, 144, 157, 161–62, 175, 176, 177, 178, 180, 185, 197, 242, 253
Bowdle tornado and, 162, 163, 165, 169–70
Quinter tornado and, 137–40, 146, 153, 237
RFDs as point of interest for, 122, 125, 153, 171, 237
Fox, Erik, 235–36
Front Range, 11, 16, 174, 248
funnels, 16, 20, 34, 39, 52, 56, 78, 83, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 100, 103, 119, 138, 147, 164, 165, 167, 168, 169, 170, 176, 190, 192, 208, 209, 213, 214, 220
Gallus, William, 89–91, 106, 111–13, 125, 143, 157, 181
Tim’s partnership with, 112–13, 123, 134, 154–55, 180
wind-speed data sought by, 155, 157
Garfield, Gabe, 235–39, 240, 246, 250
Geary, Okla., 49, 131–32, 214
Gerten, Doug, 233–35, 239–40
Golden, Joe, 63, 110
Grubb, Ed, 151, 156–57, 163, 164, 176, 178, 179, 189–90, 192, 193, 235, 242, 244, 248
Grzych, Matt, 162, 165, 166–67, 170, 171, 175, 177, 178, 179
hail cores, 16, 39, 83–85, 144, 211, 230
Hardened In Situ Tornado Pressure Recorder (HITPR), 58–65, 66, 67, 68, 72, 74, 79, 91, 113, 114, 116, 117, 119, 121, 125, 136, 141, 156, 158, 198, 250
camera outfitted on, 101
close proximity to storms required for, 65, 78, 83–84, 88
data sensors and recorder in, 60, 61–62, 65, 78, 86, 87, 100, 105–6, 110, 141, 153–54, 155, 257
funding of development and missions of, 64–65, 75, 92, 96, 112, 113
lift- and drag-resistant design of, 59–60, 61, 64
lighter, smaller size of, 60, 61, 63, 155
Manchester tornado deployment of, 99–102, 103–5, 120, 257, 258
meteorological community’s skepticism of, 81, 91, 106, 117
mission crews recruited for, 75–76
Quinter tornado and, 141–42
Stratford tornado and, 83–87, 88
Tim’s engineering background useful for, 58–59, 61, 62, 65, 73
Tipton tornado and, 147–49, 152, 153–54
2002 storm-chasing mission of, 74–78
untouchable frontier measured by, 106, 109, 110, 112, 155
useful data collected by, 87, 105–6, 110, 112–13, 155, 171
Woonsocket tornado and, 94, 95–96
Heyman, Roy, 59–60, 61, 64
hook echo, 51, 124, 157, 204, 211
humidity sensors, 54, 57, 60, 61, 62, 106, 110, 158, 242
Huntsville tornado (1989), 36–38
Hyperion Technology, 181–84
“Inside Tornadoes” (NatGeo expedition), 66–72
in situ probes, 54, 56–57, 58, 59, 64, 87, 90, 110, 115, 116, 123, 130, 135, 157, 181, 196, 236, 250, 251, 253
HITPR, see Hardened In Situ Tornado Pressure Recorder
TOTO project, see Totable Tornado Observatory (TOTO)
in VORTEX2 project, see VORTEX2 project
see also media probes; TOWER; specific in situ probe projects
instrumentation engineers, 21, 22, 23
intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), 59–60, 61
Iowa State University, 89, 111, 112, 123, 126, 142, 154, 175, 180
Jarrell tornado (1997), 1–4, 7, 63, 162, 186, 238–39
Jayden (Tim’s grandson), 243–44
Joplin, Mo., 4–6
Kansas, 32, 39, 45, 46, 68, 93, 174, 178, 183, 189, 195, 196, 197, 198, 203, 244
Karstens, Chris, 139, 140, 142–44, 162–63, 164
Kiesling, Doug, 145, 146
Lakewood, Colo., 19, 24–25, 70, 73–74, 128, 150, 174, 240, 241, 242, 245, 247
Last Chance tornado (1993), 11–14, 15–17, 31, 54, 83, 219
Laubach, Tony, 139, 144, 151, 163, 168, 170, 175, 176, 177, 178, 248
Lee, Bruce, 119, 120–22, 123, 132, 133, 134, 136, 142, 143, 144, 145–46, 148, 157, 161–62, 175, 176, 177, 178, 180, 185, 197, 242, 250, 253
Bowdle tornado and, 162, 163, 164, 165, 167–68, 169, 170
Quinter tornado and, 137–40, 146, 153, 237
RFDs as point of interest for, 122, 125, 153, 167, 170, 171, 237
Lee, Julian, 61, 64, 65, 75, 76, 77, 109–10, 113, 115, 120
Lightning Intercept Vehicle (LIV), 183–84, 185, 193, 195, 196, 197, 198, 206, 243
lightning research, 182–84, 185, 193, 195–96, 197–98, 206, 243, 244
Lipscomb tornado (1995), 31–32, 75
Lyons, Walter, 182–83, 185, 196, 197–98
McMillan, Ben, 34, 194, 242, 248
Manchester, S.Dak., 98, 255–56, 257–58
Manchester tornado (2003), 96–106, 112, 120, 122, 123, 128, 169, 186, 206, 219, 250, 251, 256, 258
destruction caused by, 98, 102–3, 104, 105,
110, 257
HITPR’s data collection in, 105–6, 110, 112–13, 171, 257
Yost farmstead demolished by, 102–3, 104, 105, 106, 120, 256–57, 258
Manitoba, Canada, 133–34
Marshall, Tim, 239, 251
media probes, 101, 103, 125, 136, 141, 153, 155, 156, 157, 158, 173
footage gathered by, 142–43, 148–49, 157
Tim’s development of, 113–14, 117, 158
see also TOWER
mesocyclones, 28, 50, 51, 82, 120, 122, 124, 137, 138, 164–65, 168–69, 205, 207, 214, 232, 237, 240
multiple-vortex (MVMC), 83–86, 87, 131–32, 165, 166, 208, 223, 227, 231–32
see also thunderstorms; tornadoes
mesonet stations, 45, 53, 67, 71, 74, 115, 130, 135, 199, 242
mobile, 119, 121, 122, 136, 137, 140, 151, 153, 157, 161, 162, 163–64, 167, 168, 169, 170, 172, 174, 196, 197, 216, 244
meteorologists, meteorology, 1, 53, 64, 124, 125, 126, 222, 235
skepticism for Tim’s HITPR mission among, 81, 91, 106, 117
see also tornado science and research; weather forecasting
Minnesota, 68, 70, 71, 93, 94, 120, 197, 242
mobile mesonets, 119, 121, 122, 136, 137, 140, 151, 153, 157, 161, 162, 163–64, 167, 168, 169, 170, 172, 174, 196, 197, 216, 244
mobile radars, 56–57, 114, 115, 131, 132, 156, 157, 163, 181, 214, 251, 253
RaXPol, 210, 211, 212, 231–32
see also Doppler on Wheels
Moore tornado (2013), 192–93, 194–95, 198, 200, 201, 205, 252
multiple-vortex mesocyclone (MVMC), 83–86, 87, 131–32, 165, 166, 208, 223, 227, 231–32, 250
El Reno tornado as, 215, 216–17, 223, 225, 227, 230, 231–32
National Center for Atmospheric Research, 67, 252
National Geographic Magazine, 92, 109, 150
National Geographic Society (NatGeo), 67, 68, 69, 71, 74, 92, 93, 96, 100, 103, 113, 143, 144, 146, 154, 182, 184, 185, 196, 245
Expeditions Council of, 66, 75, 154
2001 tornado-research expedition of, 66–72
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 38, 39, 42, 60, 61, 63, 65, 78, 110, 112, 117, 154, 182
Northern Plains Convective Workshop of, 119, 120
Wave Propagation Lab of, 54
National Science Foundation (NSF), 89, 113, 117, 134, 144, 173
National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL), 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 66
National Technical Systems, 180, 243
National Weather Association Conference, 142–43
National Weather Center, 190, 199, 200, 202–3, 206, 235
National Weather Service, 2, 6, 28, 29, 71, 193
Nebraska, 68, 71, 91, 92, 93, 94
NOVA, 27, 38
nuclear weapons, 22–23, 59–60
Oklahoma, 31, 39, 45, 53, 55, 68, 80, 93, 183, 194, 196, 197, 198, 200, 201, 203, 205, 236
Oklahoma City, Okla., 161, 198, 199, 201, 205, 208, 216, 219, 232, 233
2013 EF5 tornado in, 5
Peter, Carsten, 92, 93, 100, 101, 104, 105
Phantom cameras, 183, 196, 244
Physical Origins of Coupling to the Upper Atmosphere from Lightning (PhOCAL), 183, 195–96, 197–98, 244, 247–48
Pietrycha, Albert, 66, 67, 69, 70, 71
Porter, Pat, 30, 31, 32, 75, 91–92, 105
Manchester tornado (2003) and, 97, 98–102, 103, 104
Totum’s snail deployment and, 39–41
Woonsocket tornado (2003) and, 94–95, 96
Pratt tornado (2002), 78, 87, 92
pressure sensors, 54, 57, 60, 61, 62, 64, 65, 78, 87, 105–6, 110, 155, 176, 181, 257
Quinter tornado (2008), 136–42, 144–45, 146, 153, 159, 180, 237
Rapid-Scan DOW, 216
Rapid Update Cycle (RUC), 162
Rasmussen, Erik, 66–67, 70, 81
RaXPol mobile radar, 210, 211, 212, 231–32
rear-flank downdraft (RFD), 122, 125, 136, 137, 139, 153, 164, 167, 169, 170–71, 180, 237
“return period,” 252–53
Reynolds, Brad, 223, 224
Rhoden, Gene, 92, 93, 96, 100, 101, 105, 106
Rhoden, Karen, 92, 93, 101, 105
Robinson, Dan, 30–31, 226, 227, 228, 229–30
ROTATE 2012 mission, 181
Rozel tornado (2013), 189–90, 200
Salina, Kans., 184, 196
Samaras, Amy, 25, 33, 34, 150, 236
Samaras, Jack, 19, 128, 129
Samaras, Jenny, 25, 33, 34, 129, 147, 149, 240–41
Samaras, Jim, 19, 20, 128, 235, 236
Samaras, Kathy Videtich, 23–25, 26, 33, 71, 76, 88, 125, 129, 149, 150, 151, 152, 173–74, 176, 180, 192, 195, 196, 234, 242–43, 244–48
as supportive of Tim’s storm chasing hobby, 30, 34, 76
Tim’s death and, 236, 239, 240, 241, 242, 246–48
Tim’s newfound son and, 127, 128
Samaras, Margaret, 14, 18–21, 24
Samaras, Paul (father), 14, 18–21, 24
Samaras, Paul Timothy (son), 25, 28, 33, 34, 129, 149–52, 178, 184, 185, 189, 190, 192, 193, 195, 196, 197, 200, 205, 242, 244, 253
death of, 227–28, 231, 232, 234, 235, 236, 240–41, 247, 248
El Reno tornado and, 207, 209–10, 216, 218, 226, 227, 230, 237–38, 240
as filmmaker and photographer, 147, 150–51, 152, 243
footage captured by, 147–48, 151, 190, 192, 194, 207, 240, 243–44
introverted nature of, 149, 150, 151, 152
Tipton tornado and, 147–49
TWISTEX mission joined by, 147, 150, 151, 152, 246, 251
Samaras, Tim, 36, 37, 91–94, 137, 150, 151–52, 159–60, 161, 178, 181, 190, 191, 193, 195, 197, 243–44, 246–49, 253
authority and leadership of, 74, 111, 144, 155–56
Bennett home of, 174, 189, 195, 196, 244–45, 247–48
Bowdle tornado and, 165–66, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171–72, 206
as calm under pressure, 140, 143–44, 251
chase vehicles of, 29–30, 31, 40, 67, 81, 82, 122, 128, 137, 148, 159, 165, 166, 195, 233–34, 235, 239, 243, 244, 245–46
childhood and adolescence of, 18–20, 27, 42, 109, 150
compilation DVDs of, 126, 150–51
at Conference on Severe Local Storms, 109–10
congeniality of, 14–15, 81
in courtship of Kathy Videtich, 24–25
crushed sedan of, 233–35, 240
in Crystal Springs tornado, 239
dangerous risks taken by, 41, 83–86, 87, 88, 99, 100, 110, 122–23, 142, 146, 148, 152, 192, 219–20, 238, 246, 247, 251
death of, 8, 227–28, 231, 232, 234, 235, 236, 240–41, 247, 248, 250
in decision to build own probe, 41–42
demanding travel schedule of, 23, 24, 25, 26, 34, 71, 75, 76
domestic life of, 25, 33, 150, 158
electronic tinkering and gadgetry skills of, 18–19, 20, 30, 33, 42, 81, 128, 139–40, 143–44, 150
El Reno tornado and, 205–10, 213–15, 216, 218–22, 225–28, 230, 237–39, 251
engineering career of, 17, 21–24, 26, 42, 58–59, 62, 73, 76, 109, 128, 158, 180, 181–82, 184
footage captured by, 13, 31, 32–33, 34, 39, 142–43, 148–49, 151, 157, 246
forecasting skills and tornado-reading instincts of, 8, 14, 15, 29, 72, 82, 88, 134, 142, 154, 166, 198, 219, 227
fundraising and self-financing of missions by, 75, 92, 96, 144, 154, 156, 175, 197, 242
Gallus’s partnership with, 112–13, 123, 134, 154–55, 180
gradual forays into storm chasing by, 27–30, 31–32, 35, 54
growing reputation and celebrity of, 31, 32, 38, 109–10, 111, 114, 125, 151, 155, 173–74
ham radio of, 13, 19, 29, 31, 39, 128, 150, 174
HITPR project of, see Hardened In Situ Tornado Pressure Recorder
Hyperion Technology job of, 181–84
independent nature of, 69–70, 72, 75, 110–11, 120, 132
inquisitive mind of, 18, 24, 35, 41, 182
investigation into death of, 236–40
lack of schooling and unconventional career route of, 8, 15, 16, 20–21, 23, 59, 61, 64, 67–68, 109, 111, 112, 113, 115, 117, 118, 126, 144, 250
Lakewood home of, 24–25, 70, 128, 150, 174, 240, 242–43, 245, 247
Last Chance tornado and, 11–14, 15–17, 31, 54, 83, 219
legacy of, 249–52
lightning research projects of, 182–84, 185, 193, 195–96, 197–98, 206, 243, 244
Lipscomb tornado and, 31–32, 75
Manchester tornado and, 96–106, 110, 112, 117, 120, 169, 219, 250, 251, 257, 258
Matt Winter and, 126–29, 240
media probes of, 101, 113–14, 117, 125, 136, 141, 142–43, 148–49, 153, 155, 156, 157, 158, 173; see also TOWER
meteorological community’s growing skepticism and, 81, 91, 106, 117
physical appearance of, 13, 14, 20, 23–24, 76, 94, 109, 128, 141, 173–74, 180, 207, 234, 243
post-Manchester expansion of goals by, 110–11, 113, 115
Quinter tornado and, 137, 139–42, 159
rotating chase partners of, 75–76, 121, 124–25
safety of crew as concern of, 144, 146, 192
Seimon’s friendship with, 75, 81, 87–88
self-taught skills of, 15, 16, 18–19, 21, 28, 29
severe weather as passion of, 8, 19–20, 25–26, 27, 30, 31, 32, 33–34, 111
Sherry Winter’s relationship with, 125–27
Storm Chasers and, 156, 157, 173–74, 175, 176, 177–78, 180, 235
storm chasing as growing obsession of, 32, 33–34, 74, 75–76, 81, 110, 111, 124, 251
storm chasing gadgetry and tools of, 29–30, 67, 96, 159, 174, 191, 234, 244, 245
Straford tornado and, 82–87, 92, 97, 110, 114, 116, 146
Tatom’s snail prototype and, 38–41, 58, 65
as tornado spotter, 29, 39
TWISTEX mission of, see TWISTEX mission
in 2001 NatGeo expedition, 66–72
uneasy dissonance between Carl’s style and, 177, 191–92, 214
untouchable boundary layer/core measured by, 8, 106, 109, 110, 112, 114, 250
VORTEX2 project offer and rejection by, 114–18, 130–31, 132, 136, 181
Woonsocket tornado (2003) and, 94–96
workshops of, 24, 128, 174, 243, 244, 245
Wurman’s strained relationship with, 115–16, 117, 132, 155, 251
Seimon, Anton, 66, 67–68, 69, 70, 71, 73–75, 80–81, 110, 124–25
Stratford tornado (2003) and, 82–87, 146
Tim’s friendship with, 75, 81, 87–88
SKYWARN, 28, 29, 39, 54
Smith, Charlie, 102–3, 256
Smith, Rick, 199–200, 201–2, 203–4