April 22nd Meeting Recap!

On April 22nd, weather enthusiasts and meteorologists gathered virtually to listen to Dr. Tom Allen, a professor at Old Dominion University, talk about "Evidence of a Tornado Alley in Virginia". Dr. Allen is a professor of political science and geography and has been passionate about meteorology since he was a child.

However, before listening to Allen's talk, nominations were announced for elections. Peter Efferz (president) and Dan Salkovitz (secretary-treasurer) have unfortunately reached their term limits. Thus, Ben Woods has submitted his nomination for president while Russ Harper has submitted his nomination for secretary-treasurer. Our vice president will be Tom Drake for the 2021-2022 year.

The winner of the snowfall contest was also announced! RIC measured 7 inches for the season. Congratulations to Steve Hamilton who came closest by predicting 6.1 inches. Steve's name was added to the Champion Snow Forecaster plaque which dates to when the chapter began in 1991.

Finally, Dr. Tom Allen gave a deeply interesting and thought-provoking presentation on research he and his lab have been conducting that identifies hotspots for tornado activity in Virginia. A couple of key takeaways from Allen's research was that the main hotspots for tornado activity in central VA tend to be in the southeastern and northern parts of the state. Dr. Allen also discussed potential factors such as terrain and geography as possible causes of this increased activity.

Our next meeting is planned for June 24th. We can't wait to see you there!