Correlation Between Lightning and the Joplin Missouri Tornado

Ariel Powers1, Brian West1, Humberto Barbosa2, Ivon Wilson2

11Department of Earth Sciences, SUNY Oswego, NY 13126, USA and 2Department of Metereology, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceio, Alagoas, Brazil

Conclusion References Acknowledgements

Introduction Methods

Objectives

Results

Lightning and tornados are two important phenomena. To the general public they may commonly be associated with one another. This research focuses on determining whether there is a connection between these two weather occurrences.

Joplin, MO TornadoTouched down: May 22, 2011 at 2234 UTC and ended at 2312 UTC Path length: 22.1 miles (35.6 km)Path width: ¾-1 mile (1.2-1.6 km)Winds: >200 mph (>321.9 kph)Peaked at EF5 for 6 miles (9.7 km)24 minute warning for Joplin

LightningRequires deep convection (as do tornados), separation of charges in a cloud, and ice collisions within the cloudLightning data is conveyed through very low frequency (VLF) waves (0.3-300 kHz) detected through the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) antennas.

WWLLN68 stations world wideEvery station has an antenna that detects the lightning close to it’s peak power (peak power arrival) also known as Time of Group Arrival (TOGA).

Data, time, and location were chosen based upon radar and satellite images from May 22.

Latitude: 36.3-37.5 (decimal) Longitude: 93-95.3 (decimal)Time: 2200-2320 UTC

Data retrieved from WWLLN was stored in plain text data.This file was opened and the user input the selected time, latitude and longitude through programming.MATLAB software was used to put the points into Google Earth using KML language.PHP script was used to read the output files from MATLAB.Four 20 minute frames were created and used for an animation on Google Earth using KML language.The tornado’s path was displayed on Google Earth using a KML file from a NOAA link.This process made it easier to compare the density of lightning with the tornado.

MotivationTornadoes are a common occurrence that lead to many fatalities in the United States.Joplin, MO was chosen because it was a recent event and the most severe tornado we have seen in 2011.

HypothesisThe goal is to see where the majority of the lightning occurs whether it is before, during or after the tornado.We hypothesized that the majority of the lightning would precede the tornado due to the line of thunderstorms before the tornado had formed.

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/sgf/?n=event_2011may22_synopsishttp://www.crh.noaa.gov/sgf/?n=event_2011may22_surveyhttp://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/joplin_tornado-20110524.

htmlhttp://www.wunderground.com/radar/radblast.asp?ID=SGF&region=b3&lat=37.10850143&lon= -94.51506042&label=Joplin%2c%20MOhttp://www.crh.noaa.gov/sgf/?n=event_2011may22_summaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Joplin_tornadohttp://www.usatoday.com/weather/wtwistqa.htmhttp://vlf.stanford.edu/research/introduction-vlfhttp://www.nssl.noaa.gov/primer/tornado/images/tor_alley_lg.gifhttp://webflas.ess.washington.edu/

Total number of strikes: 729Before warning: 67During warning: 132During tornado: 202After tornado: 328

Increasing trend in number of lightning strikes observedRarely a lightning strike in the tornado itselfBased on Google Earth lightning tends to be following the tornado instead of preceding it.

Where the majority of the lightning struck in relation to the tornado

Before warning: Northeast of where tornado hitDuring warning: North of where tornado hitDuring tornado: Highly concentrated over the Joplin areaAfter tornado: South of where tornado hitThe shift in lightning due to the moving storm track is supported by the radar.

Hypothesis rejectedMajority of lightning occurred after the tornado, not before as hypothesized

It can be assumed that there are more thunderstorms after the tornado.

Modification of research can be done by choosing shorter time frames.Based on this research there is no correlation between the lightning and tornado, although they need similar weather occurrences to form. Further research should be done using other tornadic events.

Google Earth Images

Before Warning (2200-2220 UTC)

During Warning (2220-2240 UTC)

During Tornado (2240-2300 UTC)

After Tornado (2300-2320 UTC)

5:43 CDT 5:48 CDT

Radar over Joplin, Missouri

UFAL Satellite System

WWLLN Station at UFALGPS Receiver for WWLLN at UFAL