The term 'TILTTING' stands for Thermodynamic Investigation of LCL Thresholds during Tornado-genesis and its Influence in the Northeast and Great Plains
Tornadoes are responsible for a high percentage of weather-related deaths and injuries in the United States each year, despite the fact that warning lead times have significantly improved in recent years. A large part of this is due to remaining forecasting challenges involving tornadoes, including their inception (referred to as "tornadogenesis"), track, and intensity. We will investigate differences in cloud base height at tornadogenesis between the Great Plains and the Northeast. To accomplish this, we will utilize a full array of meteorological instrumentation to collect atmospheric data in environments conducive to supercell development.
The purpose of this research project is to better understand why tornadoes only develop in specific environments and under certain circumstances. Because tornadogenesis research in the Northeast is sparse, our data collection and analyses will help fill these knowledge gaps and improve tornado warning lead times.
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