The TORUS project is the most ambitious drone-based investigation of severe storms and tornadoes ever conducted. In 2019, the team chased supercells for more than 9,00 miles across five states. The project, led by Nebraska’s Adam Houston, features more than 50 scientists and students from four universities. It is launching another summer of research in 2022.
Bio
Ken Dewey is a professor of climatology in the School of Natural Resources. His main research and outreach interests are in severe storm climatology, climate variations, snow and ice studies, and drought impacts. His primary outreach activity is to bring information on severe weather and related safety tips to the public, in order to help them survive the storms. Dewey also maintains and produces content for the Lincoln Weather and Climate web site. This website offers timely regional weather information, so the public can keep up-to-date on droughts, major weather events and trends, etc. and make better decisions related to weather and climate. Storm reports and numerous weather-related photo galleries are some of its most popular products.
Bio
Houston is part of the Unmanned Aircraft System and Severe Storms Research Group, a research partnership that uses drones to study tornadoes. Houston and his colleagues at the University of Colorado Boulder were the first to directly sample a thunderstorm system with an unmanned aircraft in 2009. He leads the TORUS project, the most ambitious drone-based investigation of severe storms and tornadoes ever conducted. The team is planning a new summer of research in 2022.