Ramblings of a Graduate Student

As has been discussed on this blog for much of the past week, a significant tornado outbreak was forecast for today over much of the southeast.  Unfortunately this forecast appears to have verified.  Even as I write this, a large tornado is on the ground in northeast Alabama, bearing down on yet another population center.  (See last image below).

As a meteorologist who specializes in forecasts of high impact weather (particularly severe convective weather which includes tornadoes), today has been one of extremely mixed emotions.  I stand in awe, in amazement at the power and beauty of thunderstorms and tornadoes. They are an incredible creation of nature.  My desire to understand how they develop, behave, and decay and to be able to predict them earlier and more accurately requires that they occur so that I can observe them and learn from them.

However, I get sick to my stomach when I listen to the reports of people’s lives forever being changed through the destruction of belongings and the lives that are lost.  There is a sense of helplessness that overcomes you when you can see a potential significant tornado outbreak days in advance and know that inevitably people’s lives will be forever changed in negative ways and there is nothing you can do to stop it.   This feeling, in some regards, must be very similar to those a doctor must feel when he or she has to deliver bad news to a patient.  You know the incredible heartache that is about to unfold and nothing you can say or do will ever be able to change that.

Meteorologists must continue to improve forecasts and warnings to ensure that everyone has a chance to hear the message.  I long for the day when the all-to-often heard cliche, “it struck without warning” is just a thing of the past.  My heart is heavy tonight with thoughts turned to the lives that were ended so tragically and so soon.  My deepest sympathies to the families that must try and put back together their lives tonight.

For even more radar images from today, please check out my TwitPic page.

Strong rotation as large tornado moved through Yazoo City, MS.

Strong rotation a mere 500 feet above the ground as tornado moves very near Columbus Air Force Base (MS).

Strong rotation near Henderson, TN.

Strong rotation as a tornado moved through Albertville, TN