Nature & Environment
Smoke from Fires Feeds Extreme Storms and Tornadoes
Catherine Griffin
First Posted: Feb 03, 2015 07:27 AM EST
It turns out that smoke from fires can actually intensify tornadoes. Scientists have taken a closer look at the effects of smoke resulting from spring agricultural land-clearing fires and found that they actually intensify tornado conditions.
In this case, the researchers examined the smoke impacts on a severe weather outbreak that occurred around the afternoon and evening of April 27, 2011. During this time period, there were a total of 122 tornadoes that resulted in 313 deaths across the southeastern United States. It's considered one of the most severe weather outbreak events of its kind since 1950.
In this case, the researchers found that smoke from fires lowered the base of the clouds and increased the wind shear, which is wind speed variation with respect to altitude. In addition, smoke particles intensified thunderstorm conditions.
"These results are of great importance, as it is the first study to show smoke influence on tornado severity in a real case scenario," said Gregory Carmichael, one of the researchers, in a news release. "Also, severe weather prediction centers do not include atmospheric particles and their effects in their models, and we show that they should at least consider it."
The findings show that weather prediction centers should examine smoke influence when it comes to a tornado outbreak. Currently, the researchers hope to analyze smoke effects for other outbreaks on the record to see if similar impacts are found and under which conditions they occur. They also hope to better understand the effects of smoke on near-storm environments, including intensity and longevity.
The findings are published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.
For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).
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First Posted: Feb 03, 2015 07:27 AM EST
It turns out that smoke from fires can actually intensify tornadoes. Scientists have taken a closer look at the effects of smoke resulting from spring agricultural land-clearing fires and found that they actually intensify tornado conditions.
In this case, the researchers examined the smoke impacts on a severe weather outbreak that occurred around the afternoon and evening of April 27, 2011. During this time period, there were a total of 122 tornadoes that resulted in 313 deaths across the southeastern United States. It's considered one of the most severe weather outbreak events of its kind since 1950.
In this case, the researchers found that smoke from fires lowered the base of the clouds and increased the wind shear, which is wind speed variation with respect to altitude. In addition, smoke particles intensified thunderstorm conditions.
"These results are of great importance, as it is the first study to show smoke influence on tornado severity in a real case scenario," said Gregory Carmichael, one of the researchers, in a news release. "Also, severe weather prediction centers do not include atmospheric particles and their effects in their models, and we show that they should at least consider it."
The findings show that weather prediction centers should examine smoke influence when it comes to a tornado outbreak. Currently, the researchers hope to analyze smoke effects for other outbreaks on the record to see if similar impacts are found and under which conditions they occur. They also hope to better understand the effects of smoke on near-storm environments, including intensity and longevity.
The findings are published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.
For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone