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There is a place in the
heartland of the United States
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that is home to the most
severe storms on earth.
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When a clash of forces above
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can turn day into night
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and rain terror
on those below.
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"Tornado alley"
is a name well-earned
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for it is home to nearly 80%
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of the world's most
violent tornadoes.
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The destruction they leave
behind each year is enormous
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and the human toll
is no less devastating.
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We've come to understand why so
many tornadoes plague this region,
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but we still cannot predict
with great accuracy
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where and when
they will strike.
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The scientific mission called
vortex two is now underway
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to gain a better understanding of
why some storms produce tornadoes
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and others do not.
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Well,guys,i guess
y'all are about ready to go.
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Meteorologist don burgess
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is one of the principle
investigators on the team.
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Vortex two,
or "v-2" as we call it,
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is a large
scientific experiment.
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Large because we need to get
as much data as possible
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on the details
of tornadogenesis,
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the time when
tornadoes are born.
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A storm can be huge,
miles across.
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So we've got to use
every tool we've got.
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We'll surround the storms
with sensors called sticknets.
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Mobile weather
data collecting vehicles
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called mesonets will get as close
to the tornado as possible.
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We'll drop mini
weather stations called pods
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right in the path
of an oncoming tornado.
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And we'll scan
inside the storms
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with the most sophisticated
mobile radar trucks.
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The goal of their field
research is to gather information
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that can be used to provide earlier
and more accurate warnings.
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And with over 100 researchers,
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forty vehicles and a huge array
of advanced instrumentation,
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vortex two is the most ambitious
severe storm investigation in history.
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Scientists are not the only
ones drawn to severe weather.
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Sean Casey is both a filmmaker
and a storm chaser
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and his preparation is taking
shape in a very different way,
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upgrading his 14,000-pound
homemade tank.
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He calls it the
"tornado intercept vehicle"
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or "tl v. "
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Built for one purpose,
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to drive into the heart
of a tornado.
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People ask me
why I 'm doing this.
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I know that some of them
think I'm nuts,
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but for years I've had
this goal, this dream.
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I want to get a shot of a
tornado coming directly at us
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and film that impact.
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And this is the only way
i know how to do it.
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With two-inch composite
armor and bulletproof windows,
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tiv is designed to survive tornadic
winds up to 200 miles per hour.
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Meteorologist Brandon ivey will monitor
weather conditions for the team.
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Just watch yourself.
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All right, Marc.
Keep going. Keep going.
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Driver Marcus Gutierrez
is a trained Navy medic,
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a skill set that hopefully
won't be needed.
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A little more.
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All right, Marc.
Keep going. Keep going.
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Sean Casey will spend
most of his time under the turret,
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which both houses and protects
his large-format camera.
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Tiv is ready to roll,
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but first, a rehearsal.
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Tornado coming! Deploy!
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Four seconds.
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Panels lower
to block lifting winds.
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Eight seconds.
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Sixteen seconds.
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Steel spikes drive 40
inches into the ground as anchors.
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22.9.
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Nah-uh.
Yeah.
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Why do we keep
getting that number?
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The chase is on,
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for it's storm season
in tornado alley.
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And a unique combination of
geography and converging air masses
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provide the perfect environment
for tornadogenesis.
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With no Southern mountain
range to block the flow,
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warm moist air from the Gulf
of Mexico moves northward
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under the dry, cool fast moving
winds of the jet stream.
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If the warm air rises,
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it cools and moisture
condenses into clouds
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reaching as high as 10 miles into
the atmosphere and a storm is born.
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Winds moving in different
directions and different speeds
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can rotate a storm into
what is called a supercell.
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Scientists believe that a downdraft
wrapping around the rear of the supercell
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is critical to bringing
the rotation to the ground
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and that the temperature of
the downdraft might determine
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whether the storm
merely produces strong winds
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or a monster tornado.
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don". Welcome to day one,
first day of vortex two.
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We have an interesting
situation this morning.
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This is the first slide today,
the 500 millibar chart.
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On it you can see
that we have...
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Each day begins
with a weather briefing
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to target areas
with tornado potential.
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Then team leaders go to work.
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00:09:39,204 --> 00:09:42,832
Vortex two researcher doctor Karen
kosiba directs placement of the pods.
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Before each mission i
like to meet with the pod teams
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so we can go over a strategy so
they know where to drop the pods.
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How far the pods
should be spaced.
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It could be
a dangerous situation
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so they need to be cognizant of
what's going on around them.
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00:09:56,763 --> 00:09:58,973
Okay, so I think
we're set then for today.
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Principle
investigator doctor Josh wurman
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is in charge of coordinating
v-2's 11 radar trucks.
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Radar is the backbone
of our mission,
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because it allows us
to see inside storms
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and make three-dimensional
maps of the winds.
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For don burgess this will
mark almost 40 years of storm chasing.
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There's a great deal of excitement
when you head out the first day.
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I just relish the time and
relish the opportunity to go out
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and get to do this
one more time.
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The height of the storm
season lasts less than two months.
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For chase teams, the clock
is constantly ticking.
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This is dow seven heading out.
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We're going to get
our feet wet here.
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00:11:01,995 --> 00:11:05,665
Once the storm is targeted
vortex two will try to get ahead of it.
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00:11:06,124 --> 00:11:08,501
Their goal is to be
in position to collect data
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00:11:08,585 --> 00:11:10,837
throughout the entire
life cycle of a tornado.
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First, they'll position radar
and other sensors
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as far as 20 miles out to record
large-scale samples of the entire storm.
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Some radar trucks will
deploy closer to the tornado
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to collect
higher-resolution data.
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00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:30,732
Before they scan, they must get
level and be clear of obstacles.
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00:11:31,774 --> 00:11:34,527
Then, doppler radar
emits radio waves
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that reflect off rain,
hail and lofted debris,
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00:11:37,447 --> 00:11:40,658
creating a map of the structure
and evolution of the tornado.
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A hook-like shape
on radar can show
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that a downdraft is wrapped
around the rear of the storm,
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a potential indicator
of tornadogenesis.
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00:11:50,668 --> 00:11:54,714
Roaming mesonet vehicles and
pods dropped in the storm's path
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00:11:54,797 --> 00:11:56,382
measure what radar cannot,
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00:11:56,591 --> 00:11:59,969
temperature, humidity, and
wind speed at ground level.
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00:12:00,678 --> 00:12:03,556
Altogether, v-2's array
of instrumentation
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00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:08,394
will make visible the unseen
architecture of the entire storm.
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00:12:10,688 --> 00:12:13,983
Sean Casey's mission is far
less complex than v-2's,
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00:12:14,484 --> 00:12:17,320
but his commitment
is no less impressive.
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00:12:19,656 --> 00:12:22,992
This has been my life
for the last eight years now
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00:12:23,034 --> 00:12:25,870
and I don't want to spend
all this time out in the field
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00:12:25,954 --> 00:12:27,664
and bring back
ordinary footage.
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00:12:30,541 --> 00:12:33,795
It's one of the visual
wonders of the world.
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00:12:33,836 --> 00:12:37,131
It feels like it should be
on another planet.
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00:13:26,014 --> 00:13:27,849
Early on,
both v-2 and tiv
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00:13:27,890 --> 00:13:29,392
find themselves
on the same road.
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00:13:40,862 --> 00:13:43,656
Two storms have developed
and they both show potential.
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00:13:46,617 --> 00:13:50,371
Tiv heads east towards a storm
that is already tornado-warned.
149
00:13:51,289 --> 00:13:52,790
V-2 goes west,
150
00:13:52,874 --> 00:13:56,502
where better road network will increase
their chances for a full deployment.
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00:14:00,381 --> 00:14:02,508
There is now
a target storm.
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00:14:02,592 --> 00:14:05,595
It is the second one
in the line,
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00:14:05,678 --> 00:14:06,888
not the Southern tip.
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00:14:30,078 --> 00:14:32,413
This is dow seven
to c.S.P.R. Teams.
155
00:14:32,455 --> 00:14:34,123
It looks like
it's to the west of you.
156
00:14:34,165 --> 00:14:35,666
You're in a pretty good spot.
157
00:14:35,750 --> 00:14:38,127
We're going to keep scanning
this and we'll update you,
158
00:14:38,169 --> 00:14:41,005
but circulation is marginally
tornadic in the dow.
159
00:14:41,089 --> 00:14:45,635
And I think we're seeing it
might be a tornado visually.
160
00:14:45,676 --> 00:14:47,720
Yeah, it's the only thing
I've seen there is the wall cloud.
161
00:14:47,804 --> 00:14:48,805
I don't know
about the tornado.
162
00:14:48,846 --> 00:14:50,223
It might be another
rain curtain there.
163
00:14:50,932 --> 00:14:52,850
Visually, it's clearly
on the ground.
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00:14:52,975 --> 00:14:55,436
Dow seven, probe 13.
What do you want us to do?
165
00:14:55,478 --> 00:14:56,896
Josh". Standby, probe 13.
166
00:15:01,484 --> 00:15:05,405
Fifty-five gallon oil
barrels fly like leaves in the wind.
167
00:15:19,794 --> 00:15:21,754
Yeah, the tornado,
it is weakening.
168
00:15:21,838 --> 00:15:25,466
It's 4.6 at 40 degrees.
169
00:15:28,469 --> 00:15:30,847
Basically, we're just trying
to regroup out ahead of this.
170
00:15:31,222 --> 00:15:33,015
Even though
the tornado has weakened,
171
00:15:33,057 --> 00:15:35,893
the storm is still strong
and on the move.
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00:15:35,977 --> 00:15:37,603
Heading east as well.
Dow five, did you copy?
173
00:15:38,187 --> 00:15:39,814
Yeah, we copy that.
We're rolling.
174
00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:47,697
To the east, tiv
has chosen the wrong storm.
175
00:15:51,033 --> 00:15:52,869
They have a lot of ground
to make up.
176
00:16:13,598 --> 00:16:17,018
V-2 is already positioning sensors
on the perimeter of the storm.
177
00:16:17,059 --> 00:16:18,853
Do you want to be
given our road network?
178
00:16:19,228 --> 00:16:21,689
Hey, the sticknet
they're setting up on 15,
179
00:16:21,731 --> 00:16:23,566
do you think
you could go up 207?
180
00:16:26,611 --> 00:16:28,571
This looks like it
could produce again.
181
00:16:29,697 --> 00:16:30,907
Dow seven,
are you deployed yet?
182
00:16:31,741 --> 00:16:33,993
We are deploying
at our current location...
183
00:16:36,579 --> 00:16:38,247
Uh, are you scanning yet?
184
00:16:38,331 --> 00:16:40,416
Yeah. We're having a heck of a
time finding a deployment site.
185
00:16:40,500 --> 00:16:42,543
Is it all right
if we give 2108 a try?
186
00:16:42,585 --> 00:16:43,711
Yeah, that's fine.
187
00:16:43,753 --> 00:16:45,505
You'll have to rush
and there's certainly
188
00:16:45,588 --> 00:16:46,923
no guarantee
that's a better road.
189
00:16:53,221 --> 00:16:55,056
Karen". Okay,
can the probe teams move
190
00:16:55,097 --> 00:16:57,350
two kilometers south
from their given location
191
00:16:57,433 --> 00:16:58,893
and then hold up there?
192
00:16:58,935 --> 00:17:00,478
Probe 11, do you copy?
193
00:17:00,561 --> 00:17:01,938
Yep, we copy.
194
00:17:02,021 --> 00:17:04,023
The northern latitude
was 39.24, correct?
195
00:17:04,106 --> 00:17:05,274
Correct.
196
00:17:05,316 --> 00:17:07,109
That's in the middle
of a field, is it not?
197
00:17:07,193 --> 00:17:10,696
That's correct, but just do
it right where that is, though.
198
00:17:13,074 --> 00:17:14,700
Dow five, dow seven?
199
00:17:15,159 --> 00:17:16,160
Man'. Dow five.
200
00:17:16,285 --> 00:17:17,703
Are you scanning?
201
00:17:17,787 --> 00:17:18,829
Not yet.
202
00:17:25,419 --> 00:17:26,462
Man". This is probe one.
203
00:17:26,546 --> 00:17:27,838
Any teams following us,
204
00:17:27,922 --> 00:17:30,383
county road 4
is washed out at our position.
205
00:17:32,134 --> 00:17:33,636
Did you say washed out?
206
00:17:34,136 --> 00:17:37,265
Yes. There is no road.
We are turning around.
207
00:17:38,266 --> 00:17:40,226
Go 16.
We'll turn around after you.
208
00:17:42,562 --> 00:17:43,854
Dow five, dow seven?
209
00:17:43,938 --> 00:17:45,147
Man'. Dow five.
210
00:17:45,189 --> 00:17:46,899
Hi, what's your status?
211
00:17:46,983 --> 00:17:50,653
We're still sitting here scanning
with much better data than before.
212
00:17:51,946 --> 00:17:53,698
Okay.
Good job, dow five.
213
00:18:36,365 --> 00:18:39,035
Okay, let's start
closing hatches.
214
00:18:40,244 --> 00:18:41,704
Close hatches.
215
00:18:53,049 --> 00:18:55,760
Oh, man. I gotta
get the camera up.
216
00:19:02,683 --> 00:19:04,560
Now it looks like
it's dissolving.
217
00:19:09,315 --> 00:19:11,108
Come on, you're going
to have to go faster, Marc.
218
00:19:11,192 --> 00:19:12,485
Half the driving is done.
219
00:19:12,693 --> 00:19:14,487
Okay,
just drive into it.
220
00:19:14,570 --> 00:19:15,571
Come on.
221
00:19:37,551 --> 00:19:39,553
Five minutes
and we would have had it.
222
00:19:40,096 --> 00:19:41,097
It was that one train.
223
00:19:41,806 --> 00:19:43,391
We just missed it.
224
00:19:50,648 --> 00:19:53,275
Dow seven to all teams,
mission is over.
225
00:19:53,317 --> 00:19:55,945
Good job today, you guys. And
we'll see you back at the hotel.
226
00:20:03,536 --> 00:20:04,662
For all their efforts,
227
00:20:04,745 --> 00:20:06,288
the tl v team came up short.
228
00:20:09,083 --> 00:20:11,001
But there's always
another day...
229
00:20:31,814 --> 00:20:33,566
Blue skies,
230
00:20:33,649 --> 00:20:34,942
white clouds,
231
00:20:35,985 --> 00:20:37,570
warm dry breezes...
232
00:20:40,906 --> 00:20:42,658
Terrible weather
for storm chasers.
233
00:20:45,953 --> 00:20:47,455
What they need
is a little luck.
234
00:20:53,335 --> 00:20:54,795
Through 14 seasons,
235
00:20:54,879 --> 00:20:57,423
dow driver herb Stein
has followed the same ritual.
236
00:20:58,841 --> 00:21:01,594
Searching for just the right
good luck charm.
237
00:21:12,146 --> 00:21:15,691
No matter how slim the
chances, the search goes on.
238
00:22:17,086 --> 00:22:20,339
Back up. Back up,
back up. Clear.
239
00:22:20,422 --> 00:22:25,928
Now go. Go, go, go.
Whoa! Turn!
240
00:23:02,214 --> 00:23:06,051
Warm, moist air from the
Gulf of Mexico has now returned,
241
00:23:08,721 --> 00:23:11,473
a necessary fuel
for the storms on the plains.
242
00:23:42,004 --> 00:23:44,340
Any hail reports? We're
starting to pick up a little bit.
243
00:23:47,259 --> 00:23:52,514
Hailstones can range in size from as
small as a pea to as large as a softball...
244
00:23:52,556 --> 00:23:54,850
A threat to both researchers
and their equipment.
245
00:24:15,037 --> 00:24:17,039
All teams,
this is n.O.X.P.
246
00:24:17,247 --> 00:24:20,084
We've got moderate
hail falling now.
247
00:24:28,634 --> 00:24:31,303
Probe 11's already got
half-inch hail and increasing.
248
00:24:32,596 --> 00:24:34,390
We're getting
nickel-sized hail.
249
00:24:34,932 --> 00:24:37,476
Okay, copy.
Write it all down.
250
00:24:40,396 --> 00:24:43,107
Dow seven, this is u.M.X.
Pole, what's the status?
251
00:24:43,565 --> 00:24:45,651
The dow's going to be
pulling out now.
252
00:24:45,734 --> 00:24:47,236
The storm's got
big hail in it.
253
00:24:47,277 --> 00:24:51,031
So everybody try to get east on
this road as quickly as you can.
254
00:24:54,576 --> 00:24:56,245
Probe 11's
already got golf balls.
255
00:24:56,286 --> 00:24:58,205
Probe 12. Go ahead now.
256
00:25:08,132 --> 00:25:09,299
Dow seven, dow six,
257
00:25:09,383 --> 00:25:10,426
we're getting
caught up in this
258
00:25:10,509 --> 00:25:12,052
so we're at the edge
of the storm right now.
259
00:25:12,428 --> 00:25:16,432
Josh". Dow seven is about five miles
ahead of you and we are in the clear.
260
00:25:16,849 --> 00:25:20,728
Man". Okay, dow six copy. Fyi, there
are still some probes way behind us.
261
00:25:20,769 --> 00:25:23,063
Probe 11 and 12,
are you coming this way?
262
00:25:23,105 --> 00:25:25,065
Yeah, we are.
We're behind you.
263
00:25:28,444 --> 00:25:31,113
We're seeing some
cut-off from communication,
264
00:25:31,155 --> 00:25:32,781
was somebody
calling dow seven?
265
00:25:32,865 --> 00:25:34,533
Man 2". Yes. Probe 11 is about
a mile in front of us
266
00:25:34,616 --> 00:25:37,286
and we are moving very slowly
because we cannot see.
267
00:25:41,957 --> 00:25:43,917
Circulation is on the road.
268
00:25:47,546 --> 00:25:50,132
Probe 11. We are seeing
circulation right off to our right.
269
00:25:50,257 --> 00:25:52,301
Stop. Stop.
We are in circulation.
270
00:25:52,342 --> 00:25:54,136
We're turning around.
Turn around. Turn around.
271
00:25:54,178 --> 00:25:55,763
It's passing over us.
We're fine.
272
00:26:03,312 --> 00:26:04,313
Probe 15?
273
00:26:05,564 --> 00:26:06,565
Probe 16?
274
00:26:07,941 --> 00:26:08,942
Probe 11?
275
00:26:09,985 --> 00:26:10,986
Probe 12?
276
00:26:12,029 --> 00:26:13,030
Probe 13?
277
00:26:17,701 --> 00:26:20,704
Great. Herb, you need to go out
and restart the generator.
278
00:26:20,788 --> 00:26:22,331
Karen, you need to get
the antennae controller off.
279
00:26:22,372 --> 00:26:23,373
Yes, I'm doing it.
280
00:26:24,166 --> 00:26:26,293
Okay, just fyi,
the dow is down.
281
00:26:26,335 --> 00:26:29,338
We have no power. We cannot
see where the tornado is,
282
00:26:29,421 --> 00:26:30,923
so get safe visually, please.
283
00:26:33,342 --> 00:26:35,886
With a third of their
team stuck in a massive storm,
284
00:26:35,969 --> 00:26:38,430
safety is now
the number-one priority.
285
00:26:54,863 --> 00:26:58,700
Josh, with everybody
spread out and the comms bad,
286
00:26:58,742 --> 00:27:02,371
I just don't see any reason to
continue with this deployment. Over.
287
00:27:02,538 --> 00:27:04,706
No, I think we just have to
get people safe at this point,
288
00:27:04,790 --> 00:27:06,792
so it's disappointing.
289
00:27:12,881 --> 00:27:15,926
Miles away on a different
storm, the tiv crew is waiting.
290
00:28:02,931 --> 00:28:05,100
The storm is on the move.
291
00:28:14,818 --> 00:28:16,778
Hunting for a tornado
can feel like
292
00:28:16,820 --> 00:28:18,614
swimming with a shark
in dark waters.
293
00:28:20,032 --> 00:28:23,493
You know it's there,
you just can't see it.
294
00:28:28,332 --> 00:28:31,251
Hey, little circulation
right ahead of us.
295
00:28:33,128 --> 00:28:34,880
Wow! Look at that.
296
00:28:41,386 --> 00:28:43,180
Four o'clock,
new circulation.
297
00:28:43,347 --> 00:28:44,598
Hey, new tornado
forming in the east,
298
00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:46,183
new tornado
forming in the east.
299
00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:59,696
A small tornado has
now become a massive tornado.
300
00:29:02,991 --> 00:29:05,661
Keep going. Let's... i
don't want to go inside of it.
301
00:29:05,744 --> 00:29:07,162
- Are you sure?
- Yeah, I'm sure, man.
302
00:29:07,246 --> 00:29:08,455
I'm looking at it.
303
00:29:27,349 --> 00:29:28,517
It's catching us.
304
00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:32,020
You gotta fly, dude.
Just to be on the safe side.
305
00:29:32,062 --> 00:29:33,272
You gotta fly.
306
00:29:34,106 --> 00:29:36,566
It's directly behind us.
It's directly behind us.
307
00:29:36,692 --> 00:29:37,776
It's coming up on the road.
308
00:29:37,859 --> 00:29:39,361
I can't see the road, Sean.
309
00:29:51,248 --> 00:29:53,250
Let's stop up here
and deploy.
310
00:29:53,333 --> 00:29:54,876
Let's stop and deploy.
311
00:30:52,059 --> 00:30:53,727
Are you guys okay?
312
00:30:53,769 --> 00:30:55,771
Yeah. Yeah, we're fine. Yeah.
Okay. Let's follow this.
313
00:31:20,045 --> 00:31:22,297
- Hey take a left right here.
- All right.
314
00:31:24,341 --> 00:31:25,801
That's another big one, Sean.
315
00:31:27,636 --> 00:31:29,012
That's a really big one.
316
00:31:29,096 --> 00:31:31,139
There's debris in the air.
There's debris in the air.
317
00:31:40,565 --> 00:31:42,442
I hope everybody's
in their basement.
318
00:31:42,484 --> 00:31:43,902
I hope they're
in the basement.
319
00:32:25,527 --> 00:32:27,821
There is
a contradiction sometimes.
320
00:32:28,822 --> 00:32:30,699
It can be exciting
chasing tornadoes,
321
00:32:32,576 --> 00:32:34,202
but when you see this,
322
00:32:34,286 --> 00:32:36,872
it really hits home how important
the warning times are.
323
00:32:41,001 --> 00:32:45,630
People's lives were saved because they
had enough time to get to safety.
324
00:33:12,908 --> 00:33:15,076
It's been a long
and well-traveled road.
325
00:33:17,954 --> 00:33:19,748
Now there are
no storms to chase
326
00:33:20,957 --> 00:33:22,626
and waiting
is the hardest part.
327
00:33:24,836 --> 00:33:26,755
Still, conditions can change
328
00:33:27,756 --> 00:33:32,385
and the right road might just
lead to that one perfect storm.
329
00:33:39,351 --> 00:33:41,686
We have opportunity
for significant supercells,
330
00:33:42,145 --> 00:33:44,022
maybe significant
tornadoes today.
331
00:33:44,689 --> 00:33:47,651
This may be one of the last
good days of the spring.
332
00:33:48,109 --> 00:33:51,196
Looking at the low-level...
333
00:33:57,244 --> 00:33:58,453
The national weather service
334
00:33:58,495 --> 00:34:01,039
has issued tornado
watch number 332.
335
00:34:01,206 --> 00:34:04,626
Persons should remain alert for
rapidly changing weather conditions.
336
00:34:04,709 --> 00:34:07,796
Stay tuned to noaa weather radio.
Commercial radio...
337
00:35:09,065 --> 00:35:11,568
All team vehicles, you
have on your mesonets, correct?
338
00:35:12,027 --> 00:35:13,028
Woman". Probe 11. Check.
339
00:35:13,403 --> 00:35:15,030
Karen; Probe 12?
Man 13 check.
340
00:35:15,572 --> 00:35:16,573
- Thirteen?
- Check.
341
00:35:16,906 --> 00:35:18,658
- Fourteen?
- Check.
342
00:35:19,159 --> 00:35:21,036
- Fifteen?
- Check.
343
00:35:25,206 --> 00:35:27,709
We're going to set up
the sr. 'S down there
344
00:35:27,834 --> 00:35:30,962
and then we're going to kind of have
a triangle down there with dow five
345
00:35:31,087 --> 00:35:32,380
and we thought
we'd set you up there.
346
00:35:33,214 --> 00:35:34,716
Copy that, Josh.
Sounds good.
347
00:35:44,851 --> 00:35:47,103
We have to
go in the storm.
348
00:35:48,438 --> 00:35:50,899
Try and stay in the middle.
Try and stay in the middle.
349
00:35:50,982 --> 00:35:53,860
I'm trying, I'm trying.
It's really slippery.
350
00:35:57,113 --> 00:35:59,908
Hey, slow down.
Slow down, slow down.
351
00:36:04,287 --> 00:36:06,581
Keep it in the road.
Keep it in the road.
352
00:36:23,556 --> 00:36:25,892
It looks like the surface
circulation is increasing
353
00:36:25,934 --> 00:36:27,852
and the hook
is really coiling up,
354
00:36:27,936 --> 00:36:30,271
so this storm looks
like it's intensifying
355
00:36:30,313 --> 00:36:33,108
and certainly could produce
something in the next few minutes.
356
00:36:33,233 --> 00:36:34,567
Karen". Dow seven
to all probe teams,
357
00:36:34,609 --> 00:36:36,319
head up north quickly
to dow five's location
358
00:36:36,403 --> 00:36:39,447
and start dropping pods
at dow five and northward.
359
00:36:39,531 --> 00:36:40,532
Woman". Copy. We're moving.
360
00:36:42,784 --> 00:36:44,452
We're going to do
the hopscotch method
361
00:36:44,536 --> 00:36:46,287
and basically it's going
to be probe 11.
362
00:36:46,871 --> 00:36:51,459
This is dow six. I can confirm
a tornado. It is moving east at 15.
363
00:36:56,756 --> 00:36:58,007
Dow seven?
364
00:36:58,675 --> 00:36:59,884
Go ahead, probe 11.
365
00:36:59,968 --> 00:37:01,219
We have
deployed pod c.
366
00:37:01,302 --> 00:37:02,470
Where would you
like us to go next?
367
00:37:02,512 --> 00:37:04,139
Try to get them at 100 meters,
but do the best you can.
368
00:37:04,222 --> 00:37:05,265
You don't have much time.
369
00:37:07,100 --> 00:37:09,936
Probe 11 dropping pod f.
Still a large tornado.
370
00:37:09,978 --> 00:37:10,979
Copy.
371
00:37:11,104 --> 00:37:12,731
Dow seven, probe 14?
372
00:37:12,814 --> 00:37:15,608
Probe 14. Go ahead. We're
dropping our third pod right now.
373
00:37:15,650 --> 00:37:17,318
Okay, drop it
and then head south.
374
00:37:24,492 --> 00:37:27,620
Dow one,
all sr. 'S are deployed.
375
00:37:27,662 --> 00:37:29,998
Last one is number seven,
directly in the path.
376
00:37:32,542 --> 00:37:35,044
N.O.X.P. Dow seven,
what's your status?
377
00:37:35,170 --> 00:37:39,883
Yes, Josh. We've been up and
scanning since I think about 2242z.
378
00:37:39,966 --> 00:37:40,967
We got it. Over.
379
00:37:41,050 --> 00:37:44,637
Josh". Okay. Great. Storm should be
coming towards you after it passes us.
380
00:37:44,763 --> 00:37:48,099
All 11 of v-2's
radar trucks are in position,
381
00:37:48,183 --> 00:37:50,310
deployed, and scanning.
382
00:37:54,189 --> 00:37:57,609
For tiv, now it's only a
matter of timing and luck.
383
00:37:59,903 --> 00:38:02,030
Where do you think it's going
to cross on this road?
384
00:38:02,071 --> 00:38:03,072
Just up here.
385
00:38:05,992 --> 00:38:07,327
Okay.
Let's deploy right here.
386
00:38:07,368 --> 00:38:08,787
Deploy. Deploy-
387
00:38:13,458 --> 00:38:15,168
okay, here we go.
388
00:38:15,210 --> 00:38:17,045
It's coming right at us.
389
00:39:02,590 --> 00:39:04,592
It took eight years
390
00:39:04,634 --> 00:39:06,636
and in less than a minute,
it was over.
391
00:39:07,929 --> 00:39:10,932
He'd gotten inside
and got the shot.
392
00:39:20,567 --> 00:39:22,485
Throughout the course
of their field research,
393
00:39:22,569 --> 00:39:26,364
vortex two collected data on
dozens of storms and tornadoes.
394
00:39:28,533 --> 00:39:31,244
It'll take years to analyze the
information they've gathered,
395
00:39:31,911 --> 00:39:35,623
but their work has already pushed the
boundaries of meteorological science.
396
00:39:41,421 --> 00:39:43,006
Go ahead,
dow probe teams.
397
00:39:43,506 --> 00:39:46,301
Josh". Great job, Karen, positioning us.
That was perfect.
398
00:39:47,051 --> 00:39:48,887
All right. Good job
getting there, you guys.
399
00:39:48,970 --> 00:39:51,014
Really. All probe teams.
400
00:39:53,766 --> 00:39:56,311
Today, we made
the right forecast.
401
00:39:56,895 --> 00:39:59,230
We moved to the right place.
We got deployed.
402
00:39:59,314 --> 00:40:00,773
We collected the data,
403
00:40:01,232 --> 00:40:03,693
so there's a great feeling
of accomplishment
404
00:40:03,985 --> 00:40:07,405
and a feeling of relief that
we got what we needed to get.
405
00:40:12,327 --> 00:40:15,163
Now we have dozens
and dozens of datasets
406
00:40:15,204 --> 00:40:17,999
that will enable us
to learn the keys
407
00:40:18,082 --> 00:40:21,461
to why some of these storms made
tornadoes and some of them didn't.
408
00:40:22,295 --> 00:40:25,298
Scientists from vortex two
should feel very proud
409
00:40:25,340 --> 00:40:30,470
if ten years from now the lead
times are 15 minutes or 20 minutes
410
00:40:32,221 --> 00:40:35,141
and families in tornado alley
411
00:40:35,183 --> 00:40:38,186
have that many more minutes
to get to safety.
412
00:40:53,117 --> 00:40:55,995
In the end, it wasn't about
just getting a single shot.
413
00:40:57,372 --> 00:40:59,165
It's a life changing
experience
414
00:40:59,707 --> 00:41:02,335
to witness the beauty
and power of these storms.
415
00:41:04,545 --> 00:41:06,881
It's the lure of tornado alley
416
00:41:07,674 --> 00:41:08,675
and it's got me.