What is it about?
This work examines how a smooth, flat ocean-like upstream surface may substantially increase the potential for tornadoes downstream. This explains why North and South America both possess severe thunderstorm hotspots due to their similar geographic setup—a mountain range to the west and an equatorward source of warm, moist air—yet only North America is a hotspot for tornadoes because the equatorward ocean surface is smooth and flat.
Featured Image
Photo by Greg Johnson on Unsplash
Why is it important?
The United States has the most tornadoes in the world. This work advances our knowledge of the formation of the unique Tornado Alley in the United States by adding a critical missing ingredient to our conceptual understanding of the geographic controls of tornado hotspots on Earth: a smooth, flat ocean-like upstream surface. Understanding why tornado hotspots form is a foundation for understanding how they may change in a warming climate.
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Upstream surface roughness and terrain are strong drivers of contrast in tornado potential between North and South America, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, June 2024, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315425121.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
