WPO works in coordination with the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) in Norman, Oklahoma to award projects that explore and refine novel predictors of tornadoes, and to improve the communication of tornado forecasts and risk to tornadoes in the U.S. This year competition award total* for the 4 selected projects equals $1.36 M in grants. The projects will be funded for 2-3 years, beginning Aug. 1, 2022.
*Award totals are distributed over the life of the projects and conditional on appropriations
Projects Selected
| Project Title | PI’s & Co-PI’s | Affiliations |
|---|---|---|
| Improved Nowcasting of QLCS Tornadoes in the United States | Todd A. Murphy (PI) | University of Louisiana at Monroe |
| Understanding and Reducing Latinx Vulnerabilities to Tornadoes in the Southeast | Jennifer First (PI), Mary Lehman Helt, Kelsey Ellis | University of Tennessee at Knoxville |
| Spatiotemporal analysis of lightning and the mesoscale environment to identify significantly severe and potentially tornadic storms | Eric Bruning (PI), Jason Jordan | Texas Tech University, NOAA/ National Weather Service |
| Developing the timeline of information needs for the general public during tornado events | Makenzie Krocak (PI), Joseph Ripberger (Co-PI), Carol Silva (Co-PI), Hank Jenkins-Smith (Co-PI) | Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations (CIWRO)/ University of Oklahoma |
