STORM TRACK: November 30, 1984 (Volume 8 Issue 1)
John Weaver writes that "Colorado State University conducted its first Thunderstorm Forecast Intercept course this past summer. I don't know of any other school, which has offered such a course -- a graduate level class in which the laboratory is beneath the Cb. Prior to the beginning date of the class, Colorado did have a couple of supercell days. However, as in other parts of the country this year, our storm season could be called the year of the multicell/outflow. Nevertheless, the newly christened chasers did manage to intercept the Denver hailstorm (produced 3 1/2" diameter hail...chasers observed 3/4" and saw one large, short-lived funnel), many funnels and gustnadoes, several large wall clouds, and a small tornado in Aurora, Co. on July 6. The class was a resounding success, and we're hoping for a repeat next summer. Meanwhile, several new chasers have been born, and intercepts continued well past the class ending date."
From Iowa, Douglas Beadle suggests "a simple computation, which allows one to determine the dew point mentally, using the temperature and relative humidity (RH). It may be of interest to ST readers. The drawback is that it fails at humidities below 40% and does not always yield the exact dew point, but it is close.
The procedure is as follows: Subtract the RH from 100 and divide that difference by 3. For example, if the RH is 70%, 100-70=30. 30 divided by 3 is 10. Then subtract that result from the temperature. If the temperature is 68 deg F, 68-10=58. The dew point is 58 deg.
This final result is usually within a degree or so at humidities above 60%. At humidities between 40% and 60%, subtract a 3 deg to 5 deg correction value from the computed result. --I use the mental shortcut of remembering that a 30% difference between 100 and the RH is equal to 10 and round off the remaining difference to a number divisible by 3. - When psychrometric tables or calculators are out of reach, this method is really quite handy."
John T. Snow asked if readers were "familiar with the newly formed hobbyist/para-professional organization, the 'Association of American Weather Observers"? They publish a monthly newspaper, which might be a good vehicle for storm chasers to advertise their photos, movies, etc. ... Their address: Association of American Weather Observers, P.O. Box 455, Belvidere, Illinois 61008."
Bruce Boe, a practicing meteorologist in North Dakota, adds another delightful chapter to the authentic lexicon of storm chasers/observers. "In regard to Randy Zipser's OU terminology, there are a few terms he quotes that have equivalent expressions up here. Over the last few years, those of us that actively pursue and seed severe storms have developed a vocabulary of our own, which I think you might enjoy. Remember, that in addition to the observations made by those in the project radar, many reports and sightings come in from the pilots, and hence are slanted toward their viewpoint. Here goes:
"Boom-Ralph" - A storm that develops exp1osive1y, only to collapse just as rapidly.
"Cumulogranitus" - A hard tower, something you DON'T wish to penetrate.
Cumulogranitus
"Ice-Bomb" - Same as Turkey Tower.
"Vast Rudeness" - A visually impressive squall line at twilight, whose appearance is enhanced by lightning, and whose impressive nature is verified by radar!
Vast Rudeness
"Great White Harvester" - Substantial hail shaft.
"Tuba"- A funnel aloft.
"Tuba Playing" - Tornado.
"Thunderscuzz" - Same as Turkey Tower.
"Scudbomb" - Nocturnal Cb, made unseedable by IFR conditions. Usually accompanied by frequent cloud-to-ground lightning.
"Elevator Up" - Updraft that took you out of, or nearly out of, your block altitude (ATC getsupset).
Elevator Up
"Ding-de-ding" - Encounter with a hailshaft when airborne.
"More than you want" - When aircraft seeding from cloudbase wander too close to the main updraft, and find themselves in 3000 ft/min. updraft or stronger. Akin to getting "sucked in." Neither is desirable.
The list is incomplete, but the best I can do, just sitting here and trying to remember the more popular (and less vulgar) terms. "Vast Rudeness" can also apply to synoptic scale cyclones. Another term that comes to mind, but I'm sure isn't North Dakota originated, is "Severe Clear." We use it to describe the cloudless sky in a pre-storm environment. I'm surprised Mr. Zipser didn't mention it."
