REU Week 1
After a two week break at home, my dad and I left Birmingham Friday afternoon on a long drive to Norman. We crossed through Mississippi and Memphis into Little Rock, where we spent the night at the Hampton Inn there. The next day we completed the journey into Norman with me at the wheel most of the way. Saturday night we spent unloading my storage room into my new apartment. The program gave me a place at Traditions Square West: a lovely new fully furnished 4 bedroom 2 bath apartment with full size kitchen and living room with large TV and DVD player plus weekly maid service. Compared to the dorms, it is palatial. Sunday Dad went back home on the plane after getting lunch and a hat from me for his birthday. That evening Ted came over to hang out and welcome me back. Monday the rest of the REU people showed up, and we went out on a Wal-Mart run together. Tuesday, my job started. For the whole week we did not do much actual work but instead went on multiple tours of the Weather Center and North Campus and the radars. Two of the more special events came Tuesday and Thursday evening. Tuesday we went up to downtown OKC for dinner and to see the memorial. Thursday evening I went over to the Weather Center for the whole evening with a couple other REU students. We watched storms move into Kansas and Oklahoma on the radar with Les Lemon, one of the pioneers of severe weather forecasting.Friday afternoon, after a morning of work, we formed a convoy of three cars to storm chase in west of Wichita Falls, TX. The first storm we intercepted had gone tornadic earlier but had weakened by the time we did arrive. After grabbing a quick dinner at Quiznos, we punched the core of a cell moving through the city, forcing me to drive 35 mph on the interstate in order to see through the rain and lightning. After making it through the core, we saw a beautiful double rainbow with little fluffy swirling clouds. The weekend was mostly uneventful with Ted and Cliff spending the evening here Saturday night and church Sunday. This week promises to be full of hard work as I dig deep into my project. More next week!
posted by DJ @ 4:59 PM
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