Conference on European Tornadoes and Severe Storms

Toulouse, France, 1-4 February 2000

The Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées and Météo-France will convene a Conference on European Tornadoes and Severe Storms from 1-4 February 2000, at Toulouse, France. The Tornado and Storm Research Organization (TORRO), Oxford Brookes University, United Kingdom, is a Conference co-sponsor. U.S. co-sponsors of the Conference are the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory and the College of Geosciences of the University of Oklahoma, both in Norman, Oklahoma, and the Wind Science and Engineering Program at Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas.

Tornadoes and severe thunderstorms are not rare in several countries of Europe, but their documentation in the scientific literature is very sparse. Meteorological conditions leading to tornado occurrences in Europe are basically similar to those observed in the U.S. However, they differ in detail, especially with regard to mesoscale characteristics, so a better knowledge of European tornadoes and severe storms could bring new insights into tornado and severe storm dynamics and forecasting. This Conference could be a first step in establishing research co-ordination in this area.

Topics to be addressed at the Conference include:

Titles and abstracts (in English) of 250 to 500 words, submitted for presentation on any of the above topics, should be sent to one of the convenors by 1 August 1999. An abstract volume will be published and distributed at the Conference. Presenters will be afforded the opportunity to have their work included in a special volume of Atmospheric Research, which will serve as a permanent record of the Conference. Subject to a classical peer review, accepted papers will be published free of charge by Elsevier Science Publishers in this journal.