Dr. Boniface J. Mills, an assistant professor in the ULM Atmospheric Sciences Program, gave a presentation July 10 at the American Meteorological Society Regional Storm/Radar Conference in Shreveport.

Mills discussed the formation of the Stuttgart, Ark., tornado that occurred May 10 this year. He and his colleague, Don Wheeler of Delta Community College, witnessed the genesis of the tornado in the field while chasing the parent thunderstorm. The tornado was rated an EF3, which means the winds were estimated to be between 136 to 165 mph. The tornado caused significant damage to homes and businesses in Stuttgart.

He stressed the importance of this kind of research. "It is essential to study tornadic events in the field in order to increase our scientific understanding of what atmospheric variables are important in their formation, which in turn improves the forecasting capability of many meteorologists in the U.S. and elsewhere."

Mills, Wheeler and Donald Jones, a ULM atmospheric sciences senior from Slidell, have been invited to discuss their findings at two national meteorological conferences later this year.