Team MESO

We just finished polishing and posting our article archive containing a wealth of useful publications on various weather topics written by members of MESO. The archive also contains several pieces written by the media about MESO. Check it out!

We’re in the process of updating our web site. New features will include easy access to articles, photos, and various weather information. We are open to suggestions on how to make this site better. Our goal is to provide an informative and entertaining site that can be utilized by individuals, schools, businesses, media, and any entity that is interested in learning more about how to keep your organization or family safe in thunderstorms, tornadoes, flash flooding, or any other severe weather.

2010 was a great year for MESO in many ways. We got to head to the Great Plains in May and see beautiful country, amazing weather, and tornadoes. But one of the highlights of the year was getting to know new people.

Mike Bates accompanied us on part of this year’s chase, coming all the way from Colorado to Oklahoma for the May 10 High Risk event where we witnessed the awesome multi-vortex tornado that morphed into a giant wedge as we watched from Highway 81 just north of Medford, OK. Mike is an experienced storm spotter, ham radio operator, and EMS professional.

We also had the opportunity to meet up with the Italian storm chasers representing Meteo Network. Marco Rabito, Gloria Cariolato, Niccolo Ubalducci, and Valentina Abinanti met us on the third day of our chase and accompanied us throughout the chase. They impressed us with their knowledge and determination as well as the experience they have gained from several years of coming to the US and chasing as well as chasing in Italy and Europe. Niccolo Ubalducci is currently chasing in Australia. We look forward to hooking up with them again next year.

Although we have not met him in person, Barry Boyce has brought a lot to the table. He works for the American Red Cross and is very active in disaster relief operations here and abroad. He was out of the pocket for much of this year helping with the relief efforts in Haiti after the massive earthquake that literally destroyed the country. We look forward to someday chasing with Barry.

Multi-vortex wedge just north of Medford, OK on May 10, 2010.

It looks like the season for 2010 is over as the polar air mass has settled in on the US, bringing freezing temperatures to the Great Plains, Midwest, Atlantic Seaboard, and the Deep South. However, it is a La Nina winter so there may be some surprises in store later this winter especially in the Southern Plains and Southeast.

Right now is a good time to reflect on 2010 and figure out what we did wrong, what we did right, and how we can make 2011 even more productive and maybe get the word out to a few more people that severe weather safety needs to be a priority in most places in the world, especially here in the US. Severe weather can happen anywhere, anytime. It follows no rules that we set forth.

If you live in the US, a NOAA weather radio is a must-have for every home. Many people have said they don’t like the radios because they alarm for events happening several counties away, and in many parts of the country the springtime can see severe weather happen on almost a daily basis. But the new radios can be programmed with SAME codes specific for your county so that if there is no severe weather in your immediate area, your radio will not sound an alarm. This reduction of false alarms is a very significant advance in severe weather warnings for small businesses and households. The new radios can be bought for $25-50 depending on the features you want.

Now is the time to get the radio. You have time to program it, get used to it’s operation, and the shelves are full of them. They make wonderful Christmas presents for your loved ones as well.

Allan Detrich captures a tornado passing through his hometown in Ohio.