Tornadoes 101. What is a tornado? Roping tornado. + High Resolution (Credit: NOAA) Where do tornadoes come from? Tornadoes come from thunderstorms.

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A tornado is a narrow, violently rotating column of air that extends from the base of a thunderstorm to the ground.

1 March, 2013 BEACON NEWSLETTER TEAM LT COL SHARON WILLIAMS LT COL VAN DON WILLIAMS MAJOR JAMES RIDLEY, SR. MAJOR MANUEL CEJA Inside this Issue Republished Articles Pages Tornadoes Tornadoes 101 What is a tornado? A tornado is a narrow, violently rotating column of air that extends from the base of a thunderstorm to the ground. Winter Fires 4-5 None for the Road 6-7 Towers Undetected 8-9 Cold Weather Ops NTSB Academy Opportunity 12 A Picture is worth a 100 words 13 Region Safety Officers 14 Col Robert Diduch CAP/SE safety@capnhq.gov Col Robert Alex Asst CAP/SE Ground Operations safety@capnhq.gov Lt Col Bruce Brown Asst CAP/SE Educational/Cadet Programs safety@capnhq.gov Lt Col Dennis R. Bannon Asst CAP/SE Mishap Reviews safety@capnhq.gov Lt Col Eric Sharppee Asst CAP/SE Aircraft Operations safety@capnhq.gov Mr. Frank Jirik Safety, NHQ/SE safety@capnhq.gov Roping tornado. + High Resolution (Credit: NOAA) Where do tornadoes come from? Tornadoes come from thunderstorms. Where do tornadoes occur? Tornadoes can occur whenever and wherever conditions are right! Tornadoes can occur in every state in the United States, on any day of the year, and at any hour. They also occur in many other parts of the world, including Australia, Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America. Where is Tornado Alley? Tornado Alley is a nickname for an area that has more tornadoes than other parts of the U.S. The area that has the most strong and violent tornadoes includes eastern South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, northern Texas, and eastern Colorado. 1

+ High Resolution (Credit: NOAA) What is the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning? A Tornado Watch means tornadoes are possible in your area. Remain alert for approaching storms.

2 How much advance warning can forecasters give us before a tornado strikes? The current average lead-time for tornado warnings is 13 minutes. NOAA Research is working to increase tornado warning lead-times much further. Supercell thunderstorm. + High Resolution (Credit: NOAA) What is the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning? A Tornado Watch means tornadoes are possible in your area. Remain alert for approaching storms. The NOAA Storm Prediction Center issues tornado and severe thunderstorm watches. A Tornado Warning means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar time to take cover! Your local National Weather Service office issues tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings. How many people are killed by tornadoes each year? Tornadoes kill about 60 people each year, mostly from flying or falling debris. How many tornadoes hit the US each year? About 1,200. What is the EF-Scale? The Enhanced Fujita Scale rates tornadoes by the damage they cause. Tornado categories are from EF0 to EF5. The EF-Scale takes into account variables such as building type, structures, and the sizes of trees. Tornado Safety What you need to know NOW! Tornado damage. + High Resolution (Credit: NOAA) Listen to NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards or commercial radio/ television for tornado warnings and instructions. If you hear a "Tornado Warning" seek safety immediately. Indoors: Abandon mobile homes they are not safe even when tied down. Go to a designated shelter Go to a basement or interior room on the lowest floor (bathroom or closet without windows, under stairs). Get under a sturdy piece of furniture. Cover yourself with a mattress or blanket Put on sturdy shoes Put infants in car seats (indoors!) If you have time, gather prescription medications, wallet and keys. DO NOT open your windows! 2

Tornado Research During the early 1980s, NSSL and University of Oklahoma researchers place TOTO (TOtable Tornado Observatory) in the path of an on-coming tornado.

3 Tornado Research During the early 1980s, NSSL and University of Oklahoma researchers place TOTO (TOtable Tornado Observatory) in the path of an on-coming tornado. + High Resolution (Credit: NOAA) What is known? The most destructive and deadly tornadoes occur from supercells which are rotating thunderstorms with a well-defined radar circulation called a mesocyclone. What don t we know? NOAA scientists at the National Severe Storms Laboratory are working to understand the origins of tornadoes in thunderstorms. This knowledge will help the NWS improve warnings for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. Does NSSL do things like they showed in the movie Twister? The movie Twister was based upon NSSL s work in the mid-1980s using a 55-gallon drum equipped with weather sensors. It was called TOTO (TOtable Tornado Observatory). NSSL tried for several years to put it in the path of an oncoming tornado, but had minimal success. It did not have the sensors that fly up into the tornado, like in the movie. To learn more: The Severe Weather Primer, FAQ s and more: The Storm Prediction Center's Tornado FAQ NOAA Watch Severe Weather 3

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13 "How much power do you need to fly with wings like this?" 13

9th and 15th at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico.

officers assigned to the region HQ, Region Commander. Application closure is March 31st, 2013.

edu Col Charles Glass MER/SE csglass@juno.com Col Harold D. Brown NCR/SE hbrown9425@aol.

14 The Official Safety Newsletter of the Civil Air Patrol-March 2013! SAFETY OFFICER COLLEGE 2013!!!!! The dates of the Safety Officer College (CAPSOC) are June 10-14, 2013 with travel days on the June 9th and 15th at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. Applications will be received and students will be selected by each Wing Commander, and for staff officers assigned to the region HQ, Region Commander. Application closure is March 31st, Contact your commander for more information.!!!! Col Charles Greenwood GLR/SE Col Charles Glass MER/SE Col Harold D. Brown NCR/SE Col Robert Castle SWR/SE Lt Col Paul Mondoux NER/SE Lt Col Donald Johanson RMR/SE Lt Col Bill Woody SER/SE Lt Col Alex Kay PCR/SE 14

Tornadoes. The following states are all a part of Tornado Alley:

Tornadoes. The following states are all a part of Tornado Alley: Tornadoes Tornadoes are the most dangerous storms that nature creates. It is important that you take these natural disasters very seriously. There are many different levels of severity that a tornado can