science

Storm Track

Storm Track is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Storm Track rather than just read about it. In short: Storm Track was the first magazine for and about storm chasing. The magazine was in circulation between 1977 and 2002.

Key takeaways

Storm Track belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Storm Track to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Storm Track from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Storm Track was the first magazine for and about storm chasing. The magazine was in circulation between 1977 and 2002.

History and profile Storm Track was started in 1977 by chasing pioneer David Hoadley following an informal meeting of storm chasers at an American Meteorological Society conference. In the beginning, it was published in newsletter format in Falls Church, Virginia, but in time assumed a magazine format and was published bimonthly throughout its history. In 1986, editorship was handed over to Tim Marshall, a storm damage engineer (and meteorologist). Production of paper issues ceased in 2002 after a 25-year run; however, an accompanying website started in 1996 and continues primarily in the form of a large discussion board. Storm Track, among other topics, published storm chase accounts, discussions of issues affecting storm chasing, history of storm chasing and meteorology, meteorological analysis and case studies, climatology, reviews, biographies, photography, cartoons, poetry, and classifieds. Storm Track was a non-profit publication aimed at scientists and amateurs interested in severe storms. Rich Herzog was an associate editor since 1991 and Phil Sherman an assistant editor from 1986–1990. Another associate editor and a founding member was Randy Zipser. Gene Rhoden contributed significantly to the cover design in 1986. It was published with Master Graphics in Dallas, Texas. Tim Vasquez was online editor. Most articles and photographs were submitted by subscribers. More than 180 people wrote articles for the magazine. David Hoadley made all the drawings and sketches and did many of the cartoons which were known as "Funnel Funnies". It began with 10 subscribers in 1977 and grew to several hundred over the years. Circulation peaked at nearly 1,000 in mid-1996 in association with the release of Twister. In 2015, ownership of the Storm Track Brand was transferred to Steve Miller. Since the 2015 change in ownership, the discussion board has been updated to the newest edition of Xenforo. Additionally, a Storm Track mobile app was released (which has since been removed, with the newest update of Xenforo rendering it obsolete), along with the launch of a Discord server In July 2019, Storm Track launched Stormtrack TV, a 24-hour online television channel, in partnership with Helicity. As of April 2018, the support functions of the Spotter Network forums have been housed at the Storm Track forums.

See also Weatherwise magazine Tornado Supercell Hurricane

References

External links Storm Track website Stormtrack Library All Stormtrack print issues, 1977-2002, on CD

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Storm Track

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Storm Track claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Storm Track before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Storm Track ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Storm Track

In research: Storm Track appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Storm Track in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Storm Track is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Bimonthly magazines published in the United States, Defunct hobby magazines published in the United States, Magazines disestablished in 2002, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Storm Track outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Storm Track in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Storm Track means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Storm Track out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Storm Track in simple terms?

Storm Track was the first magazine for and about storm chasing. The magazine was in circulation between 1977 and 2002.

Why does Storm Track matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Storm Track?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Storm Track.