Storm Chasers predict active tornado season for parts of the U.S.

By: North County Times wire services - | Saturday, April 28, 2007 10:18 PM PDT ∞

ARLINGTON, Texas ---- An active tornado season is in store for parts of the U.S., according to storm chasers at Texas-based Tempest Tours Inc., a company known for successfully forecasting and intercepting dozens of tornadoes since 2001. "The latest analysis indicates a continuation of an active jet stream across the south central U.S.," said storm chaser and Tempest Tours founder Martin Lisius. "We believe the southern branch of the jet will continue to send storm systems from the Southern Plains into the lower and middle Mississippi Valley region for the next several weeks. The systems look like ripples or valleys moving down a rope. As the air over this region continues to warm and moisten, each new system will have a greater chance of producing severe weather," he said.

Is there any link between this severe weather pattern and global warming? According to Tempest's senior chaser and climatologist William Reid, "Global warming is expected to result in stronger tropical weather systems, including hurricanes, as these cyclones thrive over warm seas," he said. "The lifeblood of severe weather systems and tornadic storms is water vapor and heat energy, and the most significant severe weather outbreaks on the Plains are associated with warm and humid air that has surged northward off of the Gulf (of Mexico) waters. Thus, it appears straightforward that global warming would favor a corresponding increase in severe weather and tornadoes on the Great Plains."

Participants from around the world travel to America's Tornado Alley during May and June to chase with Tempest Tours. Base cities include Dallas-Fort Worth, Oklahoma City and Denver.

Call Tempest Tours at (817) 274-9313 or visit www.tempesttours.com. The site includes tour registration information, a storm glossary and video clips of tornadoes the team has photographed. Early registration is suggested as tours typically sell out by May.

First name only. Comments including last names, contact addresses, email addresses or phone numbers will be deleted. All comments are screened before they appear online, so please keep them brief. Comments reflect the views of those commenting and not necessarily those of the North County Times or its staff writers. Click here to view additional comment policies.