Emmaus High School Class of 2019 grad, Shane Martrich, has been doing amazing things since graduation. Shane, a 2019 Grad Spotlight alum, and his fellow Millersville Meteorology students are organizing a tornado research project this summer called Project TILTTING (Thermodynamic Investigation of LCL Thresholds during Tornadogenesis in the Northeast and Great-Plains.)
After witnessing the aftermath of a tornado that hit Mullica Hill, New Jersey on September 1, 2021, the Project TILTTING research project was born. Seeing the devastation and horror that occurred to both human lives and properties (pictured below) inspired the group to do the research project to help increase tornado warning lead times and predictability to aid those in need. This project will dive deep into this tornado research and find a way to contribute to life-saving technology.
Project TILTTING research will help to better understand why tornadoes only develop in specific environments and under certain circumstances. Tornadogenesis, or the beginning stage of tornado formation, is highly dependent on many environmental parameters. Among these parameters is the cloud base, which is formally known as the Lifting Condensation Level (LCL). Previous studies examined the differences in LCL height at tornadogenesis between the Great Plains and the Southeastern United States. However, this project will compare LCL heights in the Great Plains with those in the Northeastern United States. Because tornadogenesis research in the Northeast is sparse, this data collection and analyses will help fill these knowledge gaps and improve tornado warning lead times.
Throughout this project, the team will be running a live stream while chasing each storm through EPAWA Weather Consulting. They will not only be able to use the footage for data analysis within the project but will also be able to also share their journey with anyone who shares their interest in meteorology.
Shane and his fellow students have been working tirelessly on this project for the entire school year, with the help of lead professors, famous storm chasers, and others. We wish you the best of luck as this project moves forward. Keep up the great work, Shane. You make us #EastPennPROUD!
Stay safe!
For more information regarding Project TILTTING, please click here.