Academia, Environment, Religion, Science

New Research Purports To Blow Away The Great Wall of The Midwest Theory

300px-F5_tornado_Elie_Manitoba_2007tao-greyThere was much coverage recently about the claim of physicist Rongjia Tao (left) of Temple University that tornados could be curtailed dramatically in the Midwest by the construction of 1,000-foot walls across the middle of the country. Meteorologist Brice Coffer of North Carolina State University says that his research blows away that theory.

10387260_10203929422858723_6379841447510561123_nCoffer (right) published his results in the Electronic Journal of Severe Storm Meteorology. He looked at Tao’s claim that “If we build three east-west great walls in the American Midwest, one in North Dakota, one along the border between Kansas and Oklahoma to the east, and the third one in south Texas and Louisiana, we will diminish the tornado threats in the Tornado Alley forever.” Coffer decided to plug in the numbers in computer simulations and found the Great Wall would have little impact on the atmosphere as suggested since “[t]he warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico simply flows up and over the minor obstacle.” In fact, even if the air is pushed around the walls, it merely causes the “tornadic storms to be shifted east, instead of eliminating them.”

Then there is the little problem that the wall, in Coffer’s view, could block moisture flowing north from the Gulf of Mexico and turn most of the central USA into a desert.

Now that this theory has been analyzed I thought that these two academics can join forces in addressing this twister and the danger of transportation to different realms:

Source: USA Today

75 thoughts on “New Research Purports To Blow Away The Great Wall of The Midwest Theory”

    1. Dredd, you have responded to my numerous warnings over continued insulting postings by posting another insulting comment. I have accordingly suspended further comments.

  3. I watch college summer leagues. We have a team in Madison. But, I’ve seen games in Alaska and Cape Cod. A lot of Pac-10 players play in Alaska. They all use wooden bats so scouts can evaluate if they’re real hitters. We go to SDSU and USD games in the Spring. ASU never comes to San Diego. Other Pac-10 teams do.

    1. Nick – the PAC-10 is now the PAC-12. Unlike the SEC, the weenie league, they play 9 intraleague opponents each year. That is why no one in the PAC-12 is undeafeated this year, or usually any year. ASU still has to play Utah, Notre Dame and UA, all ranked teams, before the season ends..We used to play in SD during the WAC days. They were tune-up teams.

  4. Except for the aluminum bats. “Ting” is an affront to my ears. It should be “Crack.”

  6. Paul, You have made your thoughts on baseball well known. JT is watching. Like myself, he is an elevated thinker. Baseball fans are smarter, wiser, and simply better people than everyone else. I’m being facetious..sort of.

    1. I watch college baseball and softball. Professional baseball is just a money game

  8. jonathanturley

    Dredd, you have had numerous additional comments deleted under the civility rule. If you cannot comply with the civility rule, you will have to cease postings or be suspended from further postings.

    Annie and Paul S, I have also deleted a couple of comments responded to or continuing this personal tit-for-tat under the civility rule.
    ==========================
    Come Again?

    1. Nick – If you are blogging during the 7th game you have no respect. Personally, I am not watching.

  10. Average number of tornadoes per decade in U.S. 1950 – 2012

    1950-1959: 491
    1960-1969: 694
    1970-1979: 871
    1980-1989: 831
    1990-1999: 1228
    2000-2009: 1297
    2010-2012: 1350

    (On The Origin of Tornadoes – 3).

    G’nite George.

    G’nite Gracie.

    BTW, you were spot on about the grits.

    1. Dredd, you have had numerous additional comments deleted under the civility rule. If you cannot comply with the civility rule, you will have to cease postings or be suspended from further postings.

      Annie and Paul S, I have also deleted a couple of comments responded to or continuing this personal tit-for-tat under the civility rule.

  11. One of them, the one running around saying where is my digital nation … I am their leader, needs an upgrade.

  12. You have no point to make. However, if you think you do please explain. I am still waiting for you to explain the under reported tornadoes in the rest of the world.

  13. Anyway, I am glad to see that the Air Force Software is better than the Fox News software.

    But, I would not have set the target intelligence threshold so low.

  19. Paul C. Schulte

    Dredd – I have trouble with any “science” that comes from you. For instance, how do you know that tornadoes are not under reported in other parts of the world?
    ==============================
    Come again?

  20. BarkinDog

    Are we referring to Ho Chi Minh when folks are called “Ho”?
    ==================
    Identify your we.

    And if you don’t know after that, spend more time together.

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