New NASA Satellite Zooms in on Tornado Swath

Sonny writes "A number of severe thunder storms swept through the mid-Atlantic states on April 28, bringing high winds, hailstones, and heavy rains to many areas. The intense storms spawned at least two tornadoes, one of which was classified as an F5 funnel cloud--the most severe category, with winds in excess of 260 miles per hour (425 km per hour). The tornado's path can be seen clearly in this panchromatic image (1445KB) acquired on May 1 by the Advanced Land Imager (ALI), flying aboard NASA's EO-1 satellite. EO-1 is the first Earth observing satellite launched as part of NASA's New Millennium Program. This program is designed to spearhead development and testing of a new generation of satellite remote sensing technologies for future Earth and space science missions. The ALI is designed to improve upon and extend the measurement heritage begun by the Landsat series of satellites well into the 21st Century."

Comments

Would be more interesting...

[flewp]

If the satelite zoomed into the tornado.

The great land eraser

[Anonymous Coward]

Looks like that tornado even removed much of the grass in the areas it passed over. If the grass in your front yard isn't gonna make it, you house probably won't do so well either.

Seems to be an increasing amount of straight line winds here in the midwest. Last year I was at my brothers standing in the backyard with my nephew. And then, as if someone flipped a switch, the trees across a field all leaned over sideways and a couple seconds later a gust of wind nearly knocked us over and sent various pieces of lawn furniture 50 feet across the yard to a chainlink fence that stopped them.

Lots of powerful lightning as well. I've gotten in the habit of bracing myself when I see lightning flash outside, since we've been getting lightning so close that it sounds like a bomb going off outside of the house.

I wonder if we're about to return to the more varied and extreme sorts of weather that were common in 70's and early 80's.. Seems like the tornado sirens were always going off back then.

Try seeing it in person

[|_uke]

Although yes, that does look pretty bad... its nothing compared to seeing the aftermath in person. I used to live in Colorado until I was about 11 years old. Every year we would have a couple big tornados during the summer. Some times when a rather bad one hit an area like Denver, my mom would take us kids down to go see the aftermath. I suppose to teach us how lucky we are... or something. When it gets really bad, some times only the plumbing is left (toilets, pipes, kitchen sinks... etc.)

Regardless, it defiantly is a humbling experience, to say the least :).

One thing I found pretty weird when I moved to California was the lack of basements... In Colorado you would almost NEVER find a house without a basement. The basement usually was a story of the house... It always provided a great since of security... a place you could go to be safe from tornados...

Came to California and whaaa... no basements? Instead of tornados we have... earthquakes? Haha joy... earthquakes don't happen as often... thank god... but when the bigger ones hit they do a lot of damage over a much wider area. So I don't really know which is better.

Re:Try seeing it in person

[n-baxley]

I'm interested, did you live in Eastern Colorado? I didn't think that tornados formed in the moutainous regions.

Re:Theft

[The Anime Troll]

Why is this a troll? I feel sad that your post has been unfairly moderated as a troll. Here are the lyrics of "Until Strawberry Sherbert" from Bakuretsu Hunters to cheer you up.

I'll have sherbert

I gotta tell you this again today.
It's just too hard for me to keep in.
Every momen' just flyin' away
When I am with you.

Today must be my day, you know, we got together.
Soune atashi mo aitakattano, konna KIRAKIRA mabushii hi damono
You gotta special gift that makin' me feel so special.
souna no, HONTO ni? sore ha anata yo anata niau no ureshi kutte
We, busy bees have must do's and have to go's.
kyou ha yoru made issho desho?
kiite, hanashitai koto ippai nano yo

Tell me about it and wish me not to be lost.
saikin nandaka ochikikahaishi, jibun no ibashou ga fuan ni naru no
I can see what you're sayin' it happened to me, too.
dattara wakaru? nantonaku yuutsu, ame o mattari, kaze o kiitari
And say "So that's that" before you go to bed, right?
yappari, anata mo? sorede you o kazoeru no?

Even I can enjoy your sensuous lies.
Maybe we are playin' hide-and-seek.
I love lookin' in your curious eyes.
You may be makin' a tongue-in-cheek.
I never can count you out from my life.
'Cause you are my fatal music.

Remember, (I) got a super impression
When I saw you were runnin' to me.
I scented only your sweet expression,
All over me there.

Look, stick to your own road. You are you, though.
atashi jishin, doushitai no ka zenzen mietakutachatte
You know, you are blessed whether you know it or not.
UWAA! anata ga sou iuto HONTO mitai ni kikoeru wa
Life's passin' in a mad flurry. We can't waste our time.
shirakete nanteiran naishi, ochikon deru no ha mottai naishi

When I'm with you time goes by awfully fast.
anata shitteta? jikan ha ne kasoku shiteru no, sukoshi zutsu
So many things we don't know in this whole wide world.
nandemo daijina koto ha minna, kanari shitteru tsumori nanoni ne
We may never know what even we do not know.
wakannai koto ippai arutte, shitteinakucha ikenai no kanaa.

Even I can enjoy your sensuous lies.
Maybe we are playin' hide-and-seek.
I love lookin' in your curious eyes.
You may be makin' a tongue-in-cheek.
I never can count you out from my life.
'Cause you are my fatal music.
Don't you think that you have to change your ways, huh?
atashi ha jibun okaerannai betsu ni kaeru kimo naishi
You should have pride to be yourself, surely.
atashi jishin omochitaina atashi ha atashi nanotte ne
Yap, you gonna get off with your bad self later.
jibun o motto sukini naritai anata no koto sukina kuraini

You can make it though. Everythin' has a reason to be.
koushite kokoro ga samayotteru no ha, unmei mitai na riyuu ga aru no
As you can't change your fate you can change your attitude.
anata no iu kotoga miete kita atashi omotte ite kureru no ne
Why you think I wear GQ? I give you my best shot.
honto, arigatou! itsudemo anata ha atashi no SUNOIDOROOPU ne

Remember, (I) got a super impression
When I saw you were runnin' to me.
I scented only your sweet expression,
All over me there.