How to Make a Tornado:  Ideas emerging from decades of theory, simulations, and field observations

Prof Paul Markowski (Department of Meteorology, Penn State University)

I will examine the mechanisms of tornadogenesis within atmospheric convection, particularly supercell thunderstorms, which are responsible for virtually all strong tornadoes.  My review is derived from the results of nearly half a century of field observations and numerical simulations.  I also will discuss some results from the recent second Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment (VORTEX2), as well as directions for future research.