August 23, 2019

TORUS covers 9,000 miles across five states to collect storm data


The multi-year, Nebraska-led TORUS project will also collect storm data from across the Great Plains in 2020.

The Nebraska-led TORUS project — the most ambitious drone-based investigation of severe storms and tornadoes ever conducted — chased supercells for more than 9,000 miles across five states this summer.

The project, led by Nebraska's Adam Houston, features more than 50 scientists and students from four universities. The 2019 team included 13 Huskers — 10 undergraduates and three graduate students. The $2.5 million study is funded through a $2.4 million, three-year grant from the National Science Foundation with additional support provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The goal of the project is to collect high-resolution data about the formation of storms to improve forecasting for tornadoes and severe weather. Click the video above to learn more.