T.R.'s Closing Thoughts

T.R.'s Closing Thoughts

I can't believe it has been almost two weeks since the SWIFT van left Annapolis in search of severe weather. It has been a ~wild~ ride, one full of unique experiences and lasting memories. I have enhanced my understanding of tornadogenesis and supercellular storms, while expanding my interest in meteorology and severe weather. This hands on experience allowed me to apply classroom concepts in the largest laboratory possible. Since we have covered so much, literally, in the last two weeks, here are my Top Ten Takeaways.

1. No matter how well you may think you understand a concept, witnessing it in the real world is worthwhile to help solidify your understanding. Seeing concepts play out in front of me was an incredibly rewarding and educational experience and one that can only be achieved by stepping outside the conventional classroom.

2. We did not see the number of tornadoes that we had hoped for. This was a disappointment for us, but the lack of tornadoes this year is a blessing for others. It’s important to remember that your desired storm can derail other’s lives. Always maintain that perspective and attempt to learn from each storm.

3. Being in a car for well over 100 hours may sound terrible, but fill it with the right people, snacks, and music, and it won’t seem too bad.

4. Storm Chasing brought me to areas of the country that I never thought I would end up in. We travelled through towns of less than 1,000 people and passed homes miles from the nearest neighbor. Just being someone who lives a different lifestyle that what most of us are accustomed to does not mean that they don’t live a fulfilling or important one.

5. Be thankful for the SPC. Trust the SPC. They are incredibly smart and dedicated to producing useful products. While it may be easy to disregard their warnings as overreaction, they work hard to keep the country safe and alerted to dangerous weather.

6. One of my favorite days of the trip was our STEM outreach to the Osage County Co-Op school. The kids were great and seemed excited to learn. We only taught for about 2 hours, but I quickly developed a true admiration for teachers, especially at the elementary and middle school levels. Their job is difficult, yet critically important and grossly underappreciated.

7. Driving through rural Kansas, Nebraska, Texas, and Oklahoma allowed me to witness where my meats and grains come from. Behind every neatly packaged steak or box of cereal is a long line of hardworking individuals whose profession is one of the most demanding. Farmer’s drive our country and deserve more recognition for their difficult lifestyle. It was rewarding to witness this lifestyle firsthand.

8.Palo Duro Canyon State Park is breathtaking. If your ever find yourself traveling through the Texas panhandle it is well worth visiting. It’s like a mini Grand Canyon, and for someone who has never been to the actual Grand Canyon, Palo Duro was my first experience with such striking desert scenery.

9. Mother nature holds all the cards. We, as a society, need to continue to find ways to better anticipate severe weather and prepare those who we anticipate to be affected. In terms of tornadoes, just 15 minutes advanced warning can save countless lives. This trip has really strengthened my interest in severe weather preparation and management.

10. You can’t always get what you want. I would have loved to see a strong tornado every day in the middle of an isolated field. The atmosphere, however, had other plans. All we could do was put ourselves in the best position possible and hope for the best. Such is life, all we can do is prepare to the best of our abilities and let the cards fall where they may.

#notzero

Thank you very much to the Naval Academy STEM Department, the Oceanography Departments, LCDR Burich, Dr. Barrett, Keely, Aspen, Noah, Jordan, and Cameron for an amazing experience. I will surely look back on SWIFT 2018 with appreciable memories.

-T.R.

Keely's Closing Thoughts

Chasing last year was so thrilling, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to do it again. The adrenaline of chasing is so unexpected, but being able to see the sky turn from a calm blue into a turbulent gray-green is unmatched. Although the tornado count was low and the season overall was slow, I still learned new things every day. I continue to be fascinated by the unexpected wonders of the atmosphere. Hiking the Palo Duro Canyon made me realize just how much I'm missing just a few miles from home. Climbing the rock fall at Wichita Mountain in Oklahoma opened my eyes to how uncoordinated I am and deepened my hatred for mosquitoes.

Having taken a few more courses in meteorology, including atmospheric thermodynamics and synoptic meteorology, I felt like SWIFT was a culminating event, reinforcing more of the concepts I studied in class. Vising the 15th Operational Weather Squadron did not feel like a repeat because of how much more I learned this year. the SPC visit also felt like a new experience because of how fascinating it is to be in the center of severe weather forecasting.

The unnatural color of the clouds during severe weather is truly my favorite part. Photos are unable to capture the feeling of standing in the middle of a field with turbulent skies overhead with wind on all sides. SWIFT continues to be my favorite opportunity offered by USNA, and I hope to be able to chase again.

 

Aspen's Closing Thoughts

Ever since high school, attending the Naval Academy Preparatory School, and currently attending the United States Naval Academy, I have wanted to be an Oceanography major. The material constantly intrigues me, especially in my meteorology class. SWIFT has given me the opportunity to not only gain an understanding of how the sciences work but physically enjoy these processes occurring with my own eyes. My knowledge of the formation of supercell storms and tornadoes have greatly expanded by experiencing in field training, and I am grateful for being able to apply what I know on paper to reality and what is happening in the world around me.

SWIFT was full of adventures, taking on thousands of miles in our 'weathered-out' duty van ready to catch storms. Gaining a new perspective on paper road maps and Atlas' is something our generation lacks and learning how to navigate using these tools has broadened my knowledge. The long road trips with a great group of Midshipmen and the laughs I've had with them is something I will never forget... it is like a road trip with your family.

From catching sunsets to officially ending SWIFT with a tornado, I am ever so grateful for the opportunities USNA presents. The lectures before the trip, all of the classes, and the academic push during the trip were all absolutely worth this experience.

- A.S.B.

Noah's Closing Thoughts

My experience becoming an Oceanography major in a way mirrored my experience of being added as a member of the SWIFT team - hectic and extremely unconventional. I did not realize my desire to switch to Oceanography until midway through one semester of another major, and the opportunity to join SWIFT did not open up until nearly a week before the team's departure. Although my addition was unique and unexpected, I was grateful for the team's willingness to immediately accept me into the group.

This past semester, I've fallen in love with the material I've been studying in both my Oceanography and Meteorology classes. I am passionate about the environment, and it has been intriguing to begin to unravel the secrets of the math and science behind our understanding of how the atmosphere works. Aside from the thrill-seeker and adventurer in me, this academic interest was my main motivation for embarking on SWIFT; I desired to apply the classroom concepts learned this past semester to real-life scenarios. I've also always had a soft spot for long family road trips, which is essentially what this trip became.

SWIFT simultaneously fulfilled my expectations and also completely surprised me. I was amazed by the sweeping landscapes, powerful storms, and lightning shows, and I was concurrently unprepared for the hours upon hours of deliberation, uncertainty, and the often frustrating unpredictability of the natural environment (ironic, I know). The team shared countless laughs throughout the journey and I greatly expanded my practical meteorological knowledge. Plus, we even saw a tornado on our last chase day - I swear we did.

- N.R.E.

Cameron's Final Thoughts

It is difficult to find trainings at the Naval Academy that provide extensive opportunities to apply classroom concepts to real-world circumstances. SWIFT is almost certainly one of those trainings. Never before had I been able to connect somewhat abstract meteorological principles to reality. PowerPoint and whiteboard diagrams are often the preferred means of information transmission in the classroom, but learning through experience and observation is exponentially better. Meteorological concepts are made crystal clear: it is next to impossible to not understand what a rear-flank downdraft is when one is hitting you directly in the face!

The logistics dimension of SWIFT should also not go unmentioned. Our planning and decision-making skills were tested every single day, as we briefed others on the daily atmosphere landscape through model predictions, SPC outlooks, and forecast discussions from the National Weather Service. Once we were on the road, our target area and route often shifted as satellite or radar data confirmed or disproved model projections. We practiced effective communication, relaying hotel reservations, fuel stops, and other relevant information to members of the team in a timely manner. We made plans, only to revise those plans with the revelation of new insights into the life cycle and mechanisms of the storm.

SWIFT was truly a formative experience- it confirmed and strengthened my passion for severe weather. It was excellent training that was relevant in every way to our future careers as Navy and Marine Corps officers. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone with an interest in learning more about meteorology and the science behind our atmosphere!

Jordan's Final Thoughts

SWIFT 2018 was an experience that fostered learning in a fun, positive environment. Being able to directly take what I learned in the spring semester and apply it to the field was a gratifying feeling that I will not soon forget. Despite only seeing one tornado the entire trip, morale was relatively high throughout the entire experience. I thoroughly enjoyed developing relationships with the other members of the team and working as one unit. The days were long and could sometimes be disappointing because we did not always see much, but the positivity of the entire group made SWIFT a great internship to be on.

Not only did what we learn in the field reinforce what we learned in the classroom, we also dove into topics that we did not have time for during the academic year. I have a whole new appreciation for meteorologists because I now have a deeper understanding of the work that goes into forecasting. Meteorology is complex and requires accuracy and attention to detail. By developing a weather discussion on almost a daily basis, touring the 15th Operational Weather Squadron, and touring the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, I figured out very quickly the amount of work that goes into forecasting. I love that I can now look outside and have a fundamental understanding about what meteorological processes are taking place. SWIFT is an amazing internship that I would recommend to anyone!

-J.J. Neal

Day 11 In Review

"Lucky Day!"

In the evening hours of 21 May, the SWIFT team witnessed its first tornado east of the Sacramento Mountains. After a long transit from Altus, Oklahoma, the SWIFT team set up shop near Roswell New Mexico. Significant moisture directly east of the Sacramento Mountains as well as surface heating contributed to the storm. "Orographic lift" was the new term learned by the team which is essentially cloud formation due to an air mass being lifted as it ascends up a mountain. Orographic lift played a large role in the formation of the storms because, without it, the environment would have been much more dry, negatively impacting storm formation. 

The unusually high terrain made it a bit difficult to chase in this area of New Mexico. Nonetheless, the SWIFT team was able to witness a gorgeous supercell and small tornado that occurred just before dusk. This was a magnificent end to a somewhat uneventful journey. The SWIFT team is looking forward to a 3-day transit back to the United States Naval Academy.

Day 10 in Review

                 "Rest, Rocks, and Repositioning" 

This morning the SWIFT team was presented with an discouraging, yet familiar sight: an upper air blocking pattern preventing the desired advection across the Midwest. Having experienced the limitations of a blocking pattern in the week prior and with the SPC calling for only marginal risk in the non-chaser friendly area of southern Missouri, the team decided to take a rest day, while repositioning themselves for tomorrow's chase.

The SPC shows more favorable conditions tomorrow in West Texas so the team decided to head West to gain more favorable position. After generously recovering T.R.’s lost headphones in Wichita and eating more than our fair share of roast beef, we ventured on the Kansas turnpike towards the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge.

In the Wildlife Refuge we saw herds of beautiful, yet disinterested, Longhorns and Buffalo, as well as stunning views of Oklahoma's mesas. The team rock scrambled up the Valley of Boulders as well as strolled though low lying meadows at sunset. It was a beautiful park which showcased the under-appreciated beauty of Oklahoma. 

We enjoyed the rest day and are excited about chasing tomorrow! 

*more photos of the park to come!*

Day 9 in Review

100% Uncertain...

May 19th had been the most difficult forecasting day of SWIFT yet. There were not many boundaries, if any boundaries, to be found on any models or radar in the morning. The question was to go east or south, yet we decided to stay close to where we had stayed in the hotel the previous night in Salina, KS.

With not being in much of a rush, we enjoyed lunch at Mr. K's Farmhouse restaurant, which was notable where Eisenhower also enjoyed meals there several years back. Once finished with lunch, we went to the Eisenhower park where we enjoyed some sun while staying updated with HRRR models and MSC updates. We noticed some pressure falls occurring to the west of us in Colorado and a cyclone system which had potential to push things into action and we decided to move further east.
We did catch a boundary that afternoon, however, we never had convective initiation and could no longer chase that evening. The team enjoyed a nice smoked dinner and one of our first early evenings in the hotel.

Day 8 In Review

"What the Hail?!"

In the early morning hours of 18 May, the weather team concluded that northwestern Kansas was the best area to chase severe storms that could produce tornadoes. The team left Ogallala Nebraska and headed toward Gove County located in northwest Kansas. We stopped for lunch and had exquisite burgers, fries, and shakes at a local meat market in the early afternoon before convective initiation took place. As we made our way southeast after lunch, we stopped to admire shear taking place in Gove county near Quinter Kansas. Lower level clouds made their way west while upper-level clouds traveled east. This was incredibly distinct and served as a great visualization of shear for the team. While stopped near Quinter, the team noticed a good amount of surface heating taking place, a very important factor in creating atmospheric instability.

After surveying the skies for signs of convective initiation, we traveled south to chase a storm that was labeled with a tornado warning for a short time. This storm was eventually eaten up by surrounding storms, and we made our way east to chase another promising storm. Unfortunately, the team was core punched and sat in this slow-moving storm that produced quarter sized hail for nearly an hour. Once I-70 traffic began to move again, the team stopped in Hays Kansas for a late night meal at IHOP before taking refuge in Salina Kansas. The team learned first-hand the importance of not stopping under overpasses because of the danger it poses to those exposed to tornadic conditions. The team remains optimistic that we will see a tornado in the coming days. We look forward to sharing our day 9 details!

Day 7 In Review

"On the MOOve"

Early in the morning of Day 7, the weather team determined that northeast Colorado was the most favorable position to observe storms. We departed from Garden City, KS and made our way northwest. The team stopped to take a few quick pictures along the Colorado/Nebraska border, which was an exciting time for Jordan because those two states are allegedly "the greatest states in the Union." Because we were uncharacteristically ahead of schedule, we relaxed at a small grassy park west of Wray, CO in order to wait to observe convective initiation along the boundary.

Once storms began to initiate, we hopped back in the car and switched into chase mode. The team followed the same general storm throughout most of the evening. We were able to observe several cycles of inflow/outflow changes as winds shifted from warm/southeasterly to cold/northwesterly from our stationary viewpoints. T.R. had a chance to practice flying his drone, and he captured several overhead shots of the team during breaks in the chase. Later on in the evening, the team had a hilarious interaction with a group of cows, who ran from great distances and stopped near a fence to investigate us as we watched the storm's progress.

Overall, CAPE and bulk shear were favorable for the day, but LCLs were exceedingly high and there was unfortunately not a lot of moisture in the air. Although tornadoes still seem to be eluding us, we were lucky to observe a supercellular storm and a fantastic lightning show as the sun set over the landscape before eventually making our way back to the hotel.

- N.R.E.

Day 6 In Review

"An Outdoor Jaunt"

After several late nights and early days, Day 6 started with a refreshing sleep-in, giving the team time to exercise, put in a load of laundry, and have a scrumptious breakfast at IHOP. Model guidance and the SPC's convective outlook were not favorable for the development of tornadoes, so the team elected to spend some time outdoors in the Palo Duro Canyon State Park, just outside of Canyon, Texas. After picking up some sandwiches from Schlotzsky's, we headed to the park for a picnic lunch and a hike. The team ate lunch with a few curious turkeys, and then hiked the CCC trail, ascending up the side of the canyon for some incredible views of the park.

After finishing up our outdoor jaunt, we began our journey to our destination for the evening: Garden City, Kansas. However, after noticing several thunderstorms on radar near Pampa, Texas, we decided to make a slight detour in that direction, on the off chance that anything interesting should happen with the storms. They were characterized by high radar reflectivity and transient supercellular structure. We were able to position ourselves well to view several interesting features, including a mid-level rotating updraft. The team also met a very friendly horse while viewing the storms (see picture below). After following the storms for a few hours, we stopped at a Mexican restaurant in Pampa for a delectable dinner. Mid-meal, we were able to capture a beautiful picture of the storm at sunset. After dinner, we set off on our three-hour drive to Garden City and were treated to an incredible lightning show along the way. All in all, the day was filled with great scenery, great food, and fascinating meteorological observations.

                                                                                                               -C.J.

The team enjoys a hike in the lovely Palo Duro Canyon

     

               This storm exhibited classic supercell structure

A great view of the canyon from the trailhead

 

            A lovely view of the storm at sunset                    A curious turkey joins us at our picnic

MIDN 2/C Aspen Bess interacts with a friendly horse while observing a storm.

Day 5 in Review

"On the Right Track"

The SWIFT team started Day Five (Chase Day Three) with a visit to the National Weather Center in Norman, Oklahoma. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by Dr. Bill Bunting, Chief of Forecast Operations, NWS/NOAA Storm Prediction Center, who gave an insightful presentation on the history, purpose, operations, and tasking of the Storm Prediction Center. Dr. Bunting's presentation offered perspective into the process behind the production and distribution of SPC products, the organization and skills required to monitor severe weather nationwide, and the future of storm prediction. The conversation gave valuable information to the team, and also answered questions that aided in furthering our understanding of severe weather. 

After departing the SPC, the SWIFT team headed for the Texas panhandle in hopes of witnessing supercell storms. The SPC convective outlook called for an enhanced risk in their early products and high levels of CAPE and adequate bulk shear values gave an optimistic outlook. As the team made their way through Oklahoma, it became clear that we could need to push further west in order to have a better chance of witnessing discrete storms. The best location appeared to be around Tucumcari, NM, although lack of CIN was promoting excessive amounts of lifting, leading to contaminated storms. Nevertheless, the team picked a cell to pursue and chased that storm for the next several hours. Due partially to the low CIN, the storm evolved into a much larger form, making visibility of specific features difficult. 

Throughout the late afternoon and evening, the team continued to put themselves in the best position to observe the now very large, rotating super cell, eventually punching close to the center to obverse the forward flanking downdraft. While no tornadoes were reported throughout the day, the team encountered serious rain, small hail, and violent winds. Cameron made his first official NWS report by tweeting our observation of numerous downed powerlines. 

As the chase day concluded, the team found themselves in the midst of a haboob, tinting the air orange and turning the surroundings into a scene from Mars. While the dust itself was not the severe weather we had hoped to witness, it was certainly a first for many on the team. 

After enjoying calzones and a Celtics win over the Cavs, the team ended the day with a meaningful discussion of the day's events and reflected on how to better ourselves through increased communication. Despite not witnessing the ultimate goal, today was a productive day for the SWIFT team and we are excited about an optimistic SPC outlook for tomorrow. 

                                                                                                                                                    -T.R. 

SWIFT team at SPC, Norman, OK.

Day 4 in Review

This morning the SWIFT students started off the day with teaching middle school students in Hominy, OK. They had the opportunity for STEM outreach and interaction with the students who were eager to learn. A special thanks to Debbie Bennett and Professor Moran for helping this process go smoothly with great success. Both middle school students and USNA students learned a lot.
After a morning full of teaching, we enjoyed lunch at Pioneer Women Mercantile which was a very popular, busy and authentic restaurant in the area. Our next moves were completely focused on storm chasing. The first stop was west of Winfield where we watched several towers build then, unfortunately, collapse on themselves. Our second stop was south of Oxford where we observed an updraft, however, saw an unhealthy "see through" area. We decided to continue further northward to Wichita because of the 35 knots of bulk shear and a potential chance of a supercell. Heading north may have been an unfortunate move because the radar south of us had displayed a V-notch and hook-shaped structure. Tornadoes did form and the picture included of it was not taken by us. Although we had missed this structure, we ended with a lightning show on the border of Kansas and Oklahoma with several severe storm features!

Day 3 in Review - 1st Chase Day!

Today was the 2018 SWIFT Team's first official chase day. After a morning weather briefing, we got on the road at about 1000 and enjoyed a nature walk in Chisholm Creek Park of Wichita, Kansas. Our original target city for severe weather this morning was Woodward, Oklahoma, but these plans shifted as we examined the HRRR models throughout the day. We wound up driving toward Coldwater, Kansas to observe convective initiation with a nostalgic stop along the way at a park for a picnic lunch. T.R. was the most adventurous of the bunch, trying raw cactus for the first time over lunch.

When we arrived at the target location, we were able to physically observe the frontal boundary that we have been visually looking out for on the models by noticing the wind shift across the line from northerly to southeasterly crossing from west to east. Additionally, the western side of the boundary was significantly less humid than the eastern side. Along that boundary, we saw cumulus clouds blossom which evolved into a series of storms that split off as the afternoon progressed. Most of the storms we experienced today pulsed and were not very long-lived because of limited bulk shear. The updrafts were choked off by the storms' own precipitation. LCL heights were also very high throughout the day.

Due to limited 0-3km storm relative helicity (SRH), the storms today were not supercellular. As a result, during the chase we felt comfortable driving through the outer periphery of a storm. During this escapade, we pulled off on the side of the road. Cameron was especially excited to zip up his rain jacket and hop out of the van to pick up quarter-sized hail for the rest of us to see. Apparently, up to 3.5" hail was reported during the storms today.

The last storm we observed near sunset was extremely interesting because we could see slight midlevel cyclonic rotation and entrainment of air parcels throughout the column. It was also aesthetically beautiful and peaceful to relax near the van and observe the development and weakening of the final few storms of our first chase day as the sun set behind the clouds.

One of the biggest lessons we learned as a group today is that "the plan is the plan to deviate from." Although we found a general target area to start the day, we constantly stayed up to date with the HRRR models each hour, and after lunch we started honing in on satellite and radar images. By 1400, we shifted from the models to complete dependence on satellite and radar imagery.

We're excited tomorrow to visit Osage County to teach STEM modules to younger students!