1 00:00:00,020 --> 00:00:04,180 Music. 2 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:08,360 Music. 3 00:00:08,380 --> 00:00:12,530 Music. 4 00:00:12,550 --> 00:00:16,680 Music. 5 00:00:16,700 --> 00:00:20,850 Music. 6 00:00:20,870 --> 00:00:25,030 Dr. Kathryn Sullivan: On the research front, we are working continually 7 00:00:25,050 --> 00:00:29,170 to better understand the actual physics, the science of 8 00:00:29,190 --> 00:00:33,300 how severe storms become tornadic; what conditions make that happen. 9 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:37,410 Another part of the problem of course is to be alert and aware, and tracking 10 00:00:37,430 --> 00:00:41,520 these things and able to monitor them and generate the forecast and warnings. 11 00:00:41,540 --> 00:00:45,600 For that we are working very closely with our partners at NASA. We've got an important new 12 00:00:45,620 --> 00:00:49,650 satellite asset called GOES-R. This satellite will sit about 22,000 13 00:00:49,670 --> 00:00:53,700 miles above the Earth. It will be able to take a picture of the entire face of the Earth 14 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,720 at once, see the entire country in a single view. 15 00:00:57,740 --> 00:01:01,890 When you have a severe storm mass develop, a big convective lump, 16 00:01:01,910 --> 00:01:06,070 one of the really important things to do is monitor the top of that, where you 17 00:01:06,090 --> 00:01:10,240 can really see the symptoms, see the bubbles literally of the boiling thunder storm 18 00:01:10,260 --> 00:01:14,410 masses in the atmosphere. Geostationary satellites are ideal for that. They can 19 00:01:14,430 --> 00:01:18,590 watch the entire country at once. When a big massive convective activity gets 20 00:01:18,610 --> 00:01:22,780 developed, it can zoom in and scan that more rapidly. 21 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:26,950 Tim Samaras: Having GOES satellite visible imagery at least for myself operationally 22 00:01:26,970 --> 00:01:31,130 in the field is very important. In fact I use it exclusively 23 00:01:31,150 --> 00:01:35,290 trying to find thunderstorm initiation. Because boiling 24 00:01:35,310 --> 00:01:39,430 seen from space is the best sign of instability. So GOES 25 00:01:39,450 --> 00:01:43,590 satellite gives us a heads up even before radar sees it. Dr. Kathryn Sullivan: Very 26 00:01:43,610 --> 00:01:47,690 importantly today's satellite that does that, takes about 30 minutes to 27 00:01:47,710 --> 00:01:51,770 take one of those complete pictures. Our new satellite, GOES-R, will be able to take 28 00:01:51,790 --> 00:01:55,840 one of those pictures in five minutes. For forecasters on the professional desks, 29 00:01:55,860 --> 00:01:59,880 that will be tremendously valuable, helping them track where are they moving, 30 00:01:59,900 --> 00:02:03,920 how fast are they moving, which ones do I need to scan more closely with radar 31 00:02:03,940 --> 00:02:08,100 and watch for the conditions that tell me I should put out a tornado watch or warning. 32 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:12,270 Really important for queuing, for triggering, for alerting both 33 00:02:12,290 --> 00:02:16,450 our forecasters and the communities that they serve. 34 00:02:16,470 --> 00:02:20,640 Unfortunately, 35 00:02:20,660 --> 00:02:24,830 it is not the case that one outbreak is a clue for 36 00:02:24,850 --> 00:02:29,020 exactly what's happening next in the season or in any particular area. 37 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:33,210 We do know we are heading towards the heart of the season for 2012 38 00:02:33,230 --> 00:02:37,290 even if we can't know those specifics. So, what that really tells all of us 39 00:02:37,310 --> 00:02:41,370 living in this country, is pay attention, here comes the heavy season. Get your 40 00:02:41,390 --> 00:02:45,460 plan out, dust it off, make sure you are ready to take timely action if you 41 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:49,580 got severe storms in your area. Tim Samaras: Having a plan of action when you 42 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:53,670 hear a tornado warning, practice with your family, take cover, 43 00:02:53,690 --> 00:02:57,760 know what to do, I think is the most important thing. Dr. Kathryn Sullivan: This very summer 44 00:02:57,780 --> 00:03:01,810 in our central region, five of our forecast offices are experimenting with 45 00:03:01,830 --> 00:03:05,860 different ways of communicating, almost more like text message. Cut to the chase, 46 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:10,040 tag something right away, tornado, tornado siting on radar, 47 00:03:10,060 --> 00:03:14,230 tornado damage potential significant, that really signals more abruptly to 48 00:03:14,250 --> 00:03:18,410 people. This is important, get out of the way! 49 00:03:18,430 --> 00:03:22,570 No sound. 50 00:03:22,590 --> 00:03:26,760 Beeping sound. 51 00:03:26,780 --> 00:03:30,940 Beeping sound. 52 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:35,660 No sound.