SuperTornado: Anatomy of a Megadisaster - 4K

may 22nd 2011 the tornado got a mile wide swath through Joplin Missouri it was the costliest tornado disaster in history with insured losses close to two million dollars it was also one of the deadliest with 161 lives lost and one thousand injured the scale of the Joplin disaster drew teams of scientists to find out what made this storm so destructive and what can be done to protect communities and people in the future [Music] what did they learn by peering inside the violent realm [Applause] [Music] [Applause] we're ready Reuters routes will move you towards the finish line come on up forward there's no reason to be shy it has been five years since a tornado roared through Joplin Missouri the Joplin memorial marathon once a minor event on the town calendar has become a centerpiece in Joplin's efforts to regain its footing [Music] thousands have come to run to honor victims and their families to raise money for rebuilding and perhaps to move on from the terrible events of May 22nd 2011 [Music] [Applause] [Music] it started as a typical spring day with sunny but sultry conditions across the southern plains a center of low atmospheric pressure was moving down from the northwest in response early in the day meteorologists at the Storm Prediction Center published an outlook calling for an elevated risk of severe weather for late afternoon in a zone from Oklahoma to Wisconsin at 106 p.m. with conditions becoming ripe for tornado formation they issued a tornado watch for parts of Oklahoma Kansas Missouri and Arkansas by 4:30 p.m. storms began to rise over Kansas meteorologists at the National Weather Service watched them intensify on radar at 5:09 p.m. they issued a tornado warning for an area just north of Joplin at 5:17 p.m. they issued a warning for Joplin itself [Music] 17 minutes later a mile-wide tornado was headed into Joplin a high-density signal appeared on the radar a huge swirling mass of debris had been lifted from the ground and was being held aloft by the tornado [Music] in the aftermath Joplin residents emerged to find whole blocks scoured by winds up to 200 miles per hour buildings and houses destroyed lives lost and neighborhoods torn apart the scale of destruction led to an unprecedented effort to find out exactly what happened here and whether similar disasters could be prevented in the future Joplin may well be a watershed event in a growing class of people and whether especially in tornado-prone sections of the southern Great Plains and the southeast [Music] from its start as a mining Center and regional crossroads in the 19th century Joplin has grown into a small city with just over 50,000 people its population expands outward from a central district at the meeting of highways 43 and 66 Joplin is part of a larger trend as the u.s. population has grown over the years it has concentrated more and more in urban areas often with extended suburban footprints so when a tornado touches down the targets are larger and more concentrated with a greater potential for large-scale disasters the National Weather Service is responding with powerful technologies satellites that allow forecasters to monitor storm systems across the continent [Music] a network of Doppler radars that can map swirling motions within the clouds and identify early signs of dangerous weather [Music] and computer models that predict weather conditions hours in advance to increase the precision of these forecast models researchers have been going into the field to study storms up close their observations are helping scientists to own new generation models that can recreate the rise and fall of thunderstorms in unprecedented detail these models bring together theories of how clouds form our winds temperature pressure moisture vary without titude the effects of rain and hail the influence of the jet stream overhead and a host of other factors they put these models to the test with a strong storm that occurred just two days after Joplin on May 24th 2011 this time over Central Oklahoma another mile wide tornado cut a path 63 miles long near the town of El Lena [Music] [Music] because of the power and longevity of this tornado scientists sought to reproduce it in one of the world's largest supercomputers they set their virtual atmosphere in motion starting with conditions measured that afternoon a large thunderstorm rises into the upper atmosphere strong high-altitude winds pushed the cloud tops out ahead the wind moving into and around the storm shifts direction and speed with height that causes the storm to rotate the cloud-based lowers as warm/moist air condenses as it streams into the storm at ground level [Music] it's a familiar sight in tornado country [Music] darkness envelops the land the view obscured by sheets of rain or hail the ominous shape of a tornado moves ahead [Applause] scientists position themselves at safe distances to take a variety of atmospheric readings or to track the flow of clouds and rain using mobile radars [Music] one advantage of simulating the storm in the lab is that the scientists can track the wind rain ice and clouds in three dimensions from its initial formation all the way to its eventual decay here is a cross-section of the virtual El Reno store just above ground level early in its life the red and orange patterns indicate sheets of falling rain much like the images picked up by weather radars on the forward part of the storm the rain produces cooled down drafts that undercut warm air flowing into the center of the frame in this area along the boundary of warm and cold scientists release a series of virtual streamers they show that the air is spinning horizontally then vertically as it rises into the updraft this causes the storm to spin at lower altitudes in real life the lower portion of the storm takes on the ominous form of a rotating thunderstorm called a mesocyclone something more is needed to produce a tornado [Music] as the virtual storm gains strength cool down drafts begin to wrap around its rear flank to the left this rear flank downdraft surges into the warm inflow the dark areas at the lower right part of the frame we now move down along this rear flank boundary [Music] cold air hitting the ground forces the warm info to accelerate upward that causes the storms updraft to stretch and narrow to spin up like a dancer bringing him his or her arms as this happens a blizzard of smaller vortices form along the warm cold boundary as these whirl winds merge into the main updraft they further tighten it's spin this spinning action causes air pressure near the ground to drop as moist air flows in it condenses forming the classic tornado funnel cloud [Applause] most tornadoes are short-lived they churn along the ground for minutes or seconds kicking up dirt and at times threatening homes [Music] they often die out when the storms cold out flow overwhelms the warm info the simulated El Reno tornado stays strong reinforced by a persistent rear flank downdraft and by spinning air on the forward flank that tilts vertically as it rises into the store eventually downdraft swirling around the tornado become entrained in the updraft that causes the tornado to lose steam and there to collapse [Applause] [Music] both the El Reno and Joplin tornadoes headed off collapsed long enough to join a rare class of extremely powerful long-lasting storms with the potential to inflict catastrophic damage [Applause] in the aftermath scientists wanted to know what had caused the joplin storm to intensify so suddenly and to become so powerful [Music] to find out they initiated their storm model with atmospheric conditions recorded earlier the same day [Music] in the late afternoon in real life a line of thunderstorms formed just over the border in Kansas extending north into Nebraska clouds bubbling up at high altitudes are driven away by strong upper-level winds [Music] that draws more air up from the surface [Music] here are the storms generated by the simulation it shows that as they move east crossing into Missouri smaller storms take shape behind them one by one the smaller storms merge into the larger ones [Music] Weather Service forecasters witnessed a similar sequence of events on May 22nd 2011 [Music] just as a larger storm approached Joplin the radar showed a smaller storm merging into it the forecasters saw this as a potential trigger for rapid intensification so they issued a tornado warning 17 minutes later the tornado struck Joplin [Music] the simulation reproduces the impact of these murders on the dynamics of the storm yellow lines indicate areas of rapidly rising air blue lines are cold descending flows they show cold air surging in from the left linked to feats of rain brought in by the merging storms the thunderstorm updraft is beginning to intensify the cloud light features are areas where the air is rotating quickly rain and cool air now begin to wrap around the rear flank near the ground where they forced warm air to accelerate up into the storm that sparks the tornadoes birth [Music] because the conditions that trigger a tornado can appear suddenly the hope is that computer models like this can one day help forecasters to predict them further in advance but receiving a timely warning is only part of what it takes to survive a monster tornado like the one that hit Joplin in the aftermath scientists descended on the town as part of a major study by the National Institute of Standards and Technology [Music] the teams mapped the tornados wind field as well as its exact path they did this by looking at the damage and by tracking the pattern of fallen trees using aerial images taken after the storm based on this evidence they estimated the strongest winds at just under 200 miles per hour a 4 out of 5 on the EF rating scale structures near the center of the tornado sustained the worst damage colored here in rain those colored in yellow and orange sustained moderate or light damage [Music] by matching damage to wind speed the scientists produced a major revelation remarkably along the 22 mile-long damage back 40% of the fatalities and as much as 90% of the damage came from winds rated ef3 or lower this means that even in the face of a catastrophic tornado improved designs and safety procedures might be able to save lives and property the report called for nationally accepted standards and codes that would for the first time directly address tornado hazards that includes improved sheltering the authors noted that Joplin had no organized network of community tornado shelters in addition only 18% of structures in the damage path were equipped with basements or above-ground tornado shelters they are marked in blue on this map the effectiveness of these protective spaces is clear of the 71 people who died in residential buildings no one died within a shelter or a basement the report also called for improved construction standards sifting through the rubble scientists identified common themes groups that succumb to the uplifting force of these winds walls that were not securely anchored to their foundations the Franklin Technology Center for example experienced winds of 175 miles per hour the force of these winds pulled the roof from the walls without the roofs bracing effect the concrete masonry walls collapsed the connection between the walls and their concrete footing had minimal or no reinforcement the Home Depot a half a block from the center of the tornado had completely collapsed the weight of the roof was supported by steel columns and reinforced concrete walls so when sections of the roof were pulled off the walls lost their lateral support and collapsed in contrast in the rear loading area the walls held up with the aid of additional supports [Music] so keep the Joplin high school and middle school suffered direct hits [Applause] since cameras captured the dangerous chaotic scene fortunately on that Sunday afternoon no one was inside [Music] [Music] [Laughter] [Applause] [Music] you can see what happened in these photos of the aftermath once tornado winds tore their roofs off walls were vulnerable to collapse st. John's Regional Medical Center was located right in the center of the tornado's path [Music] the overall structure stayed intact with its heavy steel and concrete frame bolted securely in place however wind and debris were able to penetrate Windows interior walls and ceilings were then destroyed 14 died including four intensive care patients dependent on respirators they perished when a building housing the backup power generator was flattened there was one exception to all this damage these windows survived the onslaught with higher impact resistant glass in residential areas tornado winds leveled whole blocks in a chain reaction that started with the loss of a roof walls then collapsed debris carried away by the wind penetrated other houses hastening their collapse the researchers found one exception an apartment complex called Mercy Village remained largely intact perhaps it's because it stood alone or was located to the edge of the tornado's path mercy village was spared the hail of debris that destroyed many other structures additionally its roof had been reinforced by low-cost metal connections called hurricane clips they are required in many coastal communities but are rarely used in tornado country the report found that prior to the storm Joplin had adopted the latest building courage designed to protect residents in lower wind speed as the rebuilding got underway the Joplin City Council upgraded those codes by requiring hurricane clips as well as measures to more securely anchor walls to foundations if a tornado hits in the future the hope is that these measures will not only protect homes but whole neighborhoods by reducing the amount of flying debris the new regulations did not require in-home shelters but they did require tornado safe rooms to be built into public buildings st. John's was torn down leaving only a statue of its namesake to overlook a new community park [Music] the new Mercy Hospital complex on the edge of town is considered a model for tornado proofing with duplicate power systems located underground interior safe zones and reinforced walls and ceilings some parts of the building have impact resistant windows designed to withstand winds of 250 miles per hour [Music] the high school 2 was rebuilt for tornado safety designed improvements will help structures like this gym to survive while allowing for a bright and open feeling the biggest difference is the construction of tornado shelters [Music] the old building had none the new one has five scattered about the new complex the largest of these is located in the Performing Arts Center it is open both to students and members of the community in the end one of the most important defenses against tornadoes involves public perception it had been 40 years since a major tornado had hit Joplin the federal study found that many in the city believed wrongly that natural barriers protected the city from tornadoes from surrounding forests to it slightly elevated terrain the author's recommended improvements in public education and communications citing confusion about or distrust of warnings and lack of awareness of the tornado's approach the lessons of Joplin have become to travel beyond southwest Missouri the states of Alabama and Illinois now require tornado shelters to be part of new school construction Alabama requires them for some college and university buildings the city of Moore Oklahoma now requires new houses to be reinforced with hurricane clips or framing anchors continuous plywood bracing and wind resistant garage doors the goal is to withstand winds up to 135 miles per hour after a statewide initiative to build school safe rooms failed more will spend the money to outfit all of its schools for any given community the tornado is a rare event powerful long tracked tornadoes like the one that hit Joplin are even more rare and yet in 2011 Joplin was one of four major tornado catastrophes together they cost the nation ten to twelve billion dollars and 553 lives [Music] six months after with rebuilding in progress Joplin residents are finding symbols of hope planting new trees and gathering to remember the victims many children in town told of a presence butterfly people that appeared to them at the height of the storm to protect them and their families butterflies have since become a symbol of Joplin's rebirth and the subject of a mural painted on the side of a building five years after the spirit of helping remain strong the infusion of energy during the rebuilding has transformed an annual running event into a full-blown celebration of community the Joplin memorial marathon features a 5k race a half and full marathon the route is lined with banners remembering all those who were lost the proceeds from the race will go to constructing a playground at the Levin Center for autism [Music] the race draws many out-of-towners who have become attached to the town that includes one of the authors of the federal setting Franklin Lombardo from the University of Illinois is an engineer who studies the effects of wind on homes and buildings [Music] being five years it's something that always being here on the ground a few days after the event it always really stuck with me I mean the level of damage the amount of people affected really always kind of had a lasting effect on me and really it's been a major part of the work I've been doing for the last five years so in some ways I've always felt connected to Joplin you know even though the fatality count was very high here in Joplin there were plenty of people that were exposed to you know ef5 winds ea5 damage that survived my main thing is you know have a plan in place and carry it out if something like this happens that there's you can't survive an ef5 tornado even if your structure doesn't survive I think a lot of us are struggling with how to react and how to feel about this five year mark I know if folks that left town they couldn't do another anniversary some are taking time to be proud of a comp accomplishment some are taking time to grieve and we all I think it's important to recognize that we all need to do what we need to do this anniversary whatever it is it doesn't have to be what you do or what I do but as I personally continue to struggle with post-traumatic stress as a result of the storm and I don't know how to handle today what I can do is focus my energy on gratitude as a part of the rebuild OPLAN team I was blessed to meet and work with some of the most incredible human beings on this planet incredible incredible people that ran towards the fire I remember five years ago tonight I ran into a couple from Mississippi and I asked them if they were okay and I swear farmer from Mississippi as it turns out minutes before that hours before that I guess they were watching TV and Mississippi on Sunday night and they saw the news and they drilled into Joplin from that moment on there is certainly plenty of darkness sadness loss but if you could focus on it well there was light there's goodness it was coming from all over the world I feel like maybe as a community at the time we weren't fully able to understand it or appreciate it but today I want to remember it I want to remember the hundreds of AmeriCorps servant leaders who sacrificed careers and times with friends and family to rebuild our homes and lives I want to remember the churches who came tight packed in vans and volunteered for years I want to remember the Stars of Hope hand-painted by our nation's youth just to say we're thinking about you I want to remember the college students who didn't do it I didn't partied on spring break but they came and served and gave back to the community I want to remember the corporations that gave millions of dollars to make sure that we had the resources we needed to rebuild I want to remember the first responders and the incredible incredible job that they did at the storm that's what I wanna remember so while we can't change the fact that Joplin forever be remembered by the tornado we can't change what that means it's a message instead of lost in darkness it could be a message of love and unity a message of what we as humans can do when we work together to overcome adversity in the last five years I learned that there are more good people on this earth than bad people I think that's really important you watch the news and you don't always get that but I can tell you that the good way outnumber the bed [Music] as I reflected on some of the folks I do privileged to meet over the last five years I found myself one and once referring to people as running towards the fire to serve I remember thinking how many AmeriCorps members could have pursued incredible careers that instead they ran towards the fire to serve a community didn't know I personally hope that as a result of the hundreds of AmeriCorps members and a thousands of volunteers that surrounded us and loved us I hope that we are a better people for it I hope that we run towards the fire I hope when we're talking to our kids and our grandkids about the tornado then although the story might start with loss it ends with love Zachary Talbert redbone Margaret and a tenth Michael II Mikey Tyndall darien darlene van der Hooven joshua dean van der Hooven miguel vázquez castillo miles dean wells Tierra nicole Whitley Douglas Earl Williams Zachary Alan Williams and Charles William Ryder thank you [Applause] if there's a single message that comes out of Joplin arguably the worst tornado disaster in American history it's that we're all in it together [Music] and yet for anyone in the path of a tornado survival can be a matter of actions taken by individuals and families in the construction of housing or shelters [Music] in the establishment of sheltering procedures in the habit of listening carefully to weather alerts and of watching the skies [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music]

Channel: SpaceRip

Views: 491,880

Rating: 4.8033371 out of 5

Keywords: tornado, storm, thunderstorm, weather, climate, disaster, noaa, weather service, warning, atmosphere, twister, reed timmer, nssl, joplin, radar, goes, updraft, computer simulation

Id: oqfjl_HtFdA

Length: 44min 11sec (2651 seconds)

Published: Sun Jan 26 2020