Oklahoma Tornado Sets Wind Record

摘要

Tornado-chasing scientists in Oklahoma last week measured wind speeds of 318 miles per hour, the highest ever documented on Earth. These radar observations, which still must be verified, also captured the birth of a tornado and will help researchers unravel the conditions that spawn such killer storms. "It's really fascinating watching this tornado come together. That was the first time we were positioned so well with the radar to get these data," says Joshua Wurman, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. Wurman and his team used two Doppler radars mounted on separate trucks to study the tornadoes that rav aged the Oklahoma City area on May 3.