Tornadoes

Dan Skoff, Local Meteorologist, to Speak at Hobbs State Park on Tornadoes

One of Nature's most awe-inspiring and destructive weather phenomena, a tornado, is a violently rotating column of air that stretches from a cloud to the earth's surface.  Tornadoes usually form as the result of thunderstorms.      

Recent memorable tornadoes in our area were the EF-5 tornado in Joplin, Missouri, the EF-5 tornado in Moore, Oklahoma, and the EF-4 tornado in Mayflower, Arkansas.  EF stands for “Enhanced Fujita scale.”  This scale was named after Tetsuya Fujita who first introduced the scale in 1971. 

An EF-4 tornado has winds varying from 166 mph-200 mph.  An EF-5 tornado has winds varying from 200 mph to 322 mph.

Dan Skoff, chief meteorologist for northwest Arkansas’s KNWA TV, has a favorite “sport”.  That is chasing and capturing stunning weather video.  Since his first storm chase in 1996, he has seen 84 tornadoes, including the big tornadoes that hit Oklahoma City in May of 1999. 

Skoff will be coming to Hobbs State Park to explain how tornadoes are formed, how we think they stop, and will show some exciting images of his tornado adventures.
    
Where:  Hobbs State Park visitor center on Hwy 12 just east of the Hwy 12/War Eagle Road intersection.
When:    2:00 p.m. Saturday August 16, 2014
Cost:      FREE – The public is invited

This presentation is a continuation of the Friends of Hobbs Speaker Series.  For more information call:  479-789-5000.