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Can satellites see tornadoes?

Can satellites see tornadoes?

Since tornadoes form from the bottom of a thunderstorm, a satellite can’t “see” tornadoes. Once a tornado is detected, both radars and satellites are used to track the storm. Satellite images often show details of tornado damage, especially from high resolution POES images as seen below.

What caused the tornado outbreak 2021?

Tornado activity began in northeastern Arkansas, before progressing into Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The most prolific activity was caused by a long-track supercell thunderstorm that produced a family of strong tornadoes that traveled across four Mid-South states.

What was the path of the Kentucky tornado?

Surveyors believe the tornado traveled 128 miles in Kentucky alone. In its path were several hard-hit communities, including Mayfield, Benton and Dawson Springs. NWS surveyors recently determined the tornado peaked at wind speeds of 190 miles per hour, classifying it as an EF4 on the Enhanced Fujita scale.

Which states were affected by the tornadoes?

A tornado outbreak tore through six states on Friday night: Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. The tornadoes were part of a weather system that also caused substantial snowfall across parts of the upper Midwest and western Great Lakes.

How do meteorologists know when a tornado is coming?

With the aid of modern observing systems, such as vertically pointing radars (called wind profilers) and imaging systems on satellites that can measure the flow of water vapour through the Earth’s atmosphere, forecasters can usually identify where conditions will be favourable for tornado formation one to seven hours …

What does it look like above a tornado?

Swirling red dirt can be seen as the tornado passes and begins to pick up debris. An area of what looks to be a glowing white light and clear sky can be seen at the top of the twister. Yorgason said he and his friend Abram Schiff saw the tornado coming towards them and began to look for cover.

What states did the tornado hit December 2021?

Eight states — Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Georgia, Ohio and Indiana — reported tornadoes that killed more than 80 people and brought devastating damage to communities.

How long did Kentucky tornado stay on ground?

The tornado was on the ground for nearly three hours, tracking 165.65 miles (266.59 km) from Woodland Mills to Rough River Dam State Resort Park. The path was the ninth longest in recorded history. It was rated high-end EF4, with an estimated peak wind speed of 190 mph (310 km/h).