CS: Joplin Tornado (a small scale atmospheric disturbance)

Question 1

General

Answer 1

• Joplin tornado struck Missouri on 22nd May, 2011, + was 1 of the most devastating tornadoes in US history

Question 2

Hazards from tornado (1)

Answer 2

• tornado caused intense pptn, in which 50-100mm of rain fell within a few hrs in some areas
  
  • this caused localised flash flooding, which hindered emergency response + rescue operations, as made roads slippery + muddy
  • also, supercell produced hailstones >7cm in diameter, which shattered windows, damaged roofs + dented vehicles

Question 3

Hazards from tornado (2)

Answer 3

• tornado caused high winds that exceeded 200mph, resulting in entire neighbourhoods being flattened, in which >7500 homes were destroyed + a further 1000+ buildings were severely damaged
  
  • e.g. St John’s Regional Medical Center was directly hit, killing 11 ppl inside + shifting the building 10cm off its foundation bc of wind pressure
  • also, high winds resulted in flying debris, which was responsible for majority of the 158 deaths, + >1,150 injuries
  • also, vehicles were tossed 100s of ft, w some wrapped around trees or crushed

Question 4

Hazards from tornado (3)

Answer 4

• tornado had a high pressure imbalance, w core being a much lower pressure of 850-860mb, resulting in a rapid inflow of air into vortex + violent upward suction
  
  • this led to homes + buildings imploding, w roofs being instantly ripped off, + windows exploding outward

Question 5

Secondary impacts of tornado

Answer 5

• > 9,000 ppl were left homeless, + so many had to live in shelters or temporary housing for months or longer
• many businesses were destroyed, which led to temporary or permanent unemployment for many
• prolonged power outages, broken water + gas lines + cut phone services left some areas w/o utilities for days
• large quantity of debris had to be cleared, delaying rebuilding efforts + inc costs

Question 6

Prediction + monitoring

Answer 6

• National Weather Service issued a tornado warning 24mins in advance, based on advance weather monitoring from the Doppler radar + storm spotters
  
  • despite this, the tornado’s unexpected + rapid intensification in strength, + shifting path, made it difficult for emergency services + resident to effectively respond

Question 7

Preparedness

Answer 7

• Joplin was partially prepared, bc had past experiences w tornadoes, + so drills + emergency plans were relatively common in schools + public buildings, w city-wide siren systems being regularly tested
  
  • however, many residential buildings in Joplin has old, wood framed structures w no basements or storm shelters, leaving residents highly vulnerable

Question 8

Perception to risk

Answer 8

• Joplin resident we’re accustomed to frequent tornado warnings, which led to ‘warning fatigue’
• thus meant many believed warning was just another false alarm + waited for visual confirmation before taking shelter