vortex breakdown info
This is the info post my Sherlock BBC fic series "Vortex Breakdown," which begins with Tornadogenesis. I will link to this post with every new installment. :)
Summary:
Meteorologist AU! In which Sherlock is a genius forecaster, and John is an adrenaline-junkie expert storm-chaser. Or - The One Where Everyone Except Sherlock and John is Inexplicably American Now.
I originally posted this as a prompt on the kinkmeme, and ended up filling it myself! I originally prompted for slash, but it ended up rather more gen. You can definitely look at it as pre-slash if you want, though!
Go to
Notes from Watch and Warning.
Notes from Latent Heat
Warnings/Caveats:
Characters in peril, vague implications of PTSD and depression that really don't show up very clearly in the text, a bit of language, purposeful and accidental Americanisms.
This fic deals with natural disasters in a way that, depending on your opinion of storm chasers, may be construed as flippant and disrespectful. Tornadoes and severe weather have been a real problem in America this year, with over 500 deaths already. If anyone feels that this might be triggering or upsetting for you, please don't force yourself to read this! I understand. I used to have a deep, obsessive fear about severe weather. The me of only a few years ago would not have been able to read this story, let alone write it! This fic is kind of a celebration for me, of the fact that I can hear the word 'tornado' now without having a crippling panic attack.
I tried to make sure all place names in the fic were made up, and to avoid too many references to historical tornadoes in order to not make light of any real situations or trigger any readers that may have been affected by severe storms in the past.
Caveats:
This fic has been proofread but not betaed. Any glaring mistakes are mine alone.
Also, I am nowhere near an expert in either meteorology or storm-chasing. I have taken some classes and done some research on my own, but there may be huge scientific errors peppered throughout the fic. I hope not! But if anything bothers you too much, please let me know :)
I am from the East Coast. I have never been further west than Tennessee. Therefore, any readers from the Great Plains area might find my depiction of their home states inaccurate and a little stereotyped. Once again, I hope not! Again, if there are any hilarious geographical mistakes, feel free to point them out so I can fix them!
Other:
An early bit of this fic was written while under a tornado warning, myself!
If anyone feels moved to donate to tornado-relief charities, these links offer some opportunities:
Victims of the Joplin, MO EF5
Victims of the April 27 Outbreak in Alabama
Victims of the April 27 Outbreak in Mississippi
If anyone has any other charities they recommend, leave them in the comments and I'll add it to the list!
Notes on terms used in the fic:
I tried to use buzzwords more for flavor than anything; not understanding a term hopefully shouldn't prevent anyone from understanding the fic. If you are confused, feel free to google anything or to ask a question in the comments! I'll do my best to explain :D
Here's some video and images to help readers picture the fic a bit better:
If anyone has never heard a tornado siren, these videos should help you get the idea:
(There are several different kinds, so I've tried to pick vids with a variety of sounds.)
(Note: Turn your volume down before listening to these. Some start out kind of loud!)
1, 2, 3, 4 (these start talking at :18), 5
Severe hailstorm in Oklahoma City:
(Watch to the midpoint of each video at least to see the strongest part of the storm.)
1, 2
Stovepipe tornadoes:
Via Google Image Search
Rope tornadoes:
Via Google Image Search
Wedge tornadoes:
Via Google Image Search
Supercell Thunderstorm from a distance:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
Mammatus clouds:
1, 2, 3
Large hail and rainbow:
Pretty!
What large hail can do to a windshield:
Ouch.
Hail that looks like snow:
Don't want to drive through that!
For excellent severe weather videos, I suggest tornadovideos.net, the website of well-known storm chaser Reed Timmer.
Extremeinstability.com is the website of a photographer and storm-chaser Mike Hollingshead, with tons of high quality-images.
The pics at mesoscale.ws were taken by late storm chaser Eric Nguyen, and are definitely worth a look.
Watches and Warnings:
I don't know if the weather service in other countries uses these or similar terms when issuing weather notifications, but watches, warnings, and advisories are what we use in the US!
Descriptions taken from noaa.gov, here.
Watch: A watch is used when the risk of a hazardous weather or hydrologic event has increased significantly, but its occurrence, location or timing is still uncertain. It is intended to provide enough lead time so those who need to set their plans in motion can do so. A watch means that hazardous weather is possible. People should have a plan of action in case a storm threatens and they should listen for later information and possible warnings especially when planning travel or outdoor activities.
A watch basically means that conditions are right for a situation to develop. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means that one might pop up around your area soon. A Tornado Watch means that the kinds of storms that form tornadoes might be heading towards you, but there is no tornado on the ground yet.
Warning: A warning is issued when a hazardous weather or hydrologic event is occurring, imminent or likely. A warning means weather conditions pose a threat to life or property. People in the path of the storm need to take protective action.
A warning is more serious than a watch, and means that whatever event they were cautioning you about is definitely occurring. There's a severe thunderstorm on the radar, a tornado has been spotted on the ground, floods have been reported, etc.
Advisory: An advisory is issued when a hazardous weather or hydrologic event is occurring, imminent or likely. Advisories are for less serious conditions than warnings, that cause significant inconvenience and if caution is not exercised, could lead to situations that may threaten life or property.
The format I used for the watches and warnings in "Watch and Warning" is the real format the NWS uses to issue notifications. An example can be found here.
What to Do During a Tornado:
In "Watch and Warning" John and Sherlock head to the stairwell during a tornado warning. The safest place to go during a tornado is always underground. Basements or storm cellars are usually preferred, but not every house has one. The next place to go is an interior room with no windows, such as a bathroom or closet (or a stairwell in a large building). Put as many walls between you and the outside as possible, and stay as close to the ground as you can. It's also a good idea to bring pillows, cushions, or other methods of protecting yourself in the room with you. Some people even make their children wear helmets!
If you're in a car and you see a tornado, DO NOT STOP UNDER AN OVERPASS or you might die. Winds increase in speed under the overpass and increase the chance of you being injured by debris. Don't try to outrun the tornado; I've always been told that you should get out of the car and into a ditch and cover your head. If there's a building nearby, though, I'd try that first.
The National Weather Center
The NWC at the University of Oklahoma is an enormous building that I hope to visit someday! They have some props from the movie Twister on display, as well as a café called "The Flying Cow"!
Info on National Severe Storms Lab at the NWC: I suggest checking the photos and video on the side.
National Weather Center Website: Also has The Flying Cow Café Menu!
Virtual Tour of the NWC: Very cool!
1, 2: The elevators John and Sherlock use.
1, 2, 3, 4: Some more photos of the NWC, from stormeyes.org
Random Things That Didn't Get Mentioned in the Fic But Might Interest People, Hopefully Without Spoiling Anything In the Story:
John used to be a surgeon at the trauma center at the University of Oklahoma.
John has passed his citizenship test! I was originally going to have him just have a green card, but it started interfering logistically. Sherlock never gets bothered by immigration services because his brother rules the world.
Sherlock has a little flat/apartment near OU in Norman, Oklahoma. John lives in Oklahoma City. This area is one of the most tornado-prone areas in the United States, which is why it is the location of one of the best meteorological schools in the country, the National Severe Storms Laboratory, and the Storm Prediction Center, among others.
And I'll end this with a classic Weather Channel Video: Jim Cantore Surprised by Thundersnow!
Summary:
Meteorologist AU! In which Sherlock is a genius forecaster, and John is an adrenaline-junkie expert storm-chaser. Or - The One Where Everyone Except Sherlock and John is Inexplicably American Now.
I originally posted this as a prompt on the kinkmeme, and ended up filling it myself! I originally prompted for slash, but it ended up rather more gen. You can definitely look at it as pre-slash if you want, though!
Go to
Notes from Watch and Warning.
Notes from Latent Heat
Warnings/Caveats:
Characters in peril, vague implications of PTSD and depression that really don't show up very clearly in the text, a bit of language, purposeful and accidental Americanisms.
This fic deals with natural disasters in a way that, depending on your opinion of storm chasers, may be construed as flippant and disrespectful. Tornadoes and severe weather have been a real problem in America this year, with over 500 deaths already. If anyone feels that this might be triggering or upsetting for you, please don't force yourself to read this! I understand. I used to have a deep, obsessive fear about severe weather. The me of only a few years ago would not have been able to read this story, let alone write it! This fic is kind of a celebration for me, of the fact that I can hear the word 'tornado' now without having a crippling panic attack.
I tried to make sure all place names in the fic were made up, and to avoid too many references to historical tornadoes in order to not make light of any real situations or trigger any readers that may have been affected by severe storms in the past.
Caveats:
This fic has been proofread but not betaed. Any glaring mistakes are mine alone.
Also, I am nowhere near an expert in either meteorology or storm-chasing. I have taken some classes and done some research on my own, but there may be huge scientific errors peppered throughout the fic. I hope not! But if anything bothers you too much, please let me know :)
I am from the East Coast. I have never been further west than Tennessee. Therefore, any readers from the Great Plains area might find my depiction of their home states inaccurate and a little stereotyped. Once again, I hope not! Again, if there are any hilarious geographical mistakes, feel free to point them out so I can fix them!
Other:
An early bit of this fic was written while under a tornado warning, myself!
If anyone feels moved to donate to tornado-relief charities, these links offer some opportunities:
Victims of the Joplin, MO EF5
Victims of the April 27 Outbreak in Alabama
Victims of the April 27 Outbreak in Mississippi
If anyone has any other charities they recommend, leave them in the comments and I'll add it to the list!
Notes on terms used in the fic:
I tried to use buzzwords more for flavor than anything; not understanding a term hopefully shouldn't prevent anyone from understanding the fic. If you are confused, feel free to google anything or to ask a question in the comments! I'll do my best to explain :D
Here's some video and images to help readers picture the fic a bit better:
If anyone has never heard a tornado siren, these videos should help you get the idea:
(There are several different kinds, so I've tried to pick vids with a variety of sounds.)
(Note: Turn your volume down before listening to these. Some start out kind of loud!)
1, 2, 3, 4 (these start talking at :18), 5
Severe hailstorm in Oklahoma City:
(Watch to the midpoint of each video at least to see the strongest part of the storm.)
1, 2
Stovepipe tornadoes:
Via Google Image Search
Rope tornadoes:
Via Google Image Search
Wedge tornadoes:
Via Google Image Search
Supercell Thunderstorm from a distance:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
Mammatus clouds:
1, 2, 3
Large hail and rainbow:
Pretty!
What large hail can do to a windshield:
Ouch.
Hail that looks like snow:
Don't want to drive through that!
For excellent severe weather videos, I suggest tornadovideos.net, the website of well-known storm chaser Reed Timmer.
Extremeinstability.com is the website of a photographer and storm-chaser Mike Hollingshead, with tons of high quality-images.
The pics at mesoscale.ws were taken by late storm chaser Eric Nguyen, and are definitely worth a look.
Watches and Warnings:
I don't know if the weather service in other countries uses these or similar terms when issuing weather notifications, but watches, warnings, and advisories are what we use in the US!
Descriptions taken from noaa.gov, here.
Watch: A watch is used when the risk of a hazardous weather or hydrologic event has increased significantly, but its occurrence, location or timing is still uncertain. It is intended to provide enough lead time so those who need to set their plans in motion can do so. A watch means that hazardous weather is possible. People should have a plan of action in case a storm threatens and they should listen for later information and possible warnings especially when planning travel or outdoor activities.
A watch basically means that conditions are right for a situation to develop. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means that one might pop up around your area soon. A Tornado Watch means that the kinds of storms that form tornadoes might be heading towards you, but there is no tornado on the ground yet.
Warning: A warning is issued when a hazardous weather or hydrologic event is occurring, imminent or likely. A warning means weather conditions pose a threat to life or property. People in the path of the storm need to take protective action.
A warning is more serious than a watch, and means that whatever event they were cautioning you about is definitely occurring. There's a severe thunderstorm on the radar, a tornado has been spotted on the ground, floods have been reported, etc.
Advisory: An advisory is issued when a hazardous weather or hydrologic event is occurring, imminent or likely. Advisories are for less serious conditions than warnings, that cause significant inconvenience and if caution is not exercised, could lead to situations that may threaten life or property.
The format I used for the watches and warnings in "Watch and Warning" is the real format the NWS uses to issue notifications. An example can be found here.
What to Do During a Tornado:
In "Watch and Warning" John and Sherlock head to the stairwell during a tornado warning. The safest place to go during a tornado is always underground. Basements or storm cellars are usually preferred, but not every house has one. The next place to go is an interior room with no windows, such as a bathroom or closet (or a stairwell in a large building). Put as many walls between you and the outside as possible, and stay as close to the ground as you can. It's also a good idea to bring pillows, cushions, or other methods of protecting yourself in the room with you. Some people even make their children wear helmets!
If you're in a car and you see a tornado, DO NOT STOP UNDER AN OVERPASS or you might die. Winds increase in speed under the overpass and increase the chance of you being injured by debris. Don't try to outrun the tornado; I've always been told that you should get out of the car and into a ditch and cover your head. If there's a building nearby, though, I'd try that first.
The National Weather Center
The NWC at the University of Oklahoma is an enormous building that I hope to visit someday! They have some props from the movie Twister on display, as well as a café called "The Flying Cow"!
Info on National Severe Storms Lab at the NWC: I suggest checking the photos and video on the side.
National Weather Center Website: Also has The Flying Cow Café Menu!
Virtual Tour of the NWC: Very cool!
1, 2: The elevators John and Sherlock use.
1, 2, 3, 4: Some more photos of the NWC, from stormeyes.org
Random Things That Didn't Get Mentioned in the Fic But Might Interest People, Hopefully Without Spoiling Anything In the Story:
John used to be a surgeon at the trauma center at the University of Oklahoma.
John has passed his citizenship test! I was originally going to have him just have a green card, but it started interfering logistically. Sherlock never gets bothered by immigration services because his brother rules the world.
Sherlock has a little flat/apartment near OU in Norman, Oklahoma. John lives in Oklahoma City. This area is one of the most tornado-prone areas in the United States, which is why it is the location of one of the best meteorological schools in the country, the National Severe Storms Laboratory, and the Storm Prediction Center, among others.
And I'll end this with a classic Weather Channel Video: Jim Cantore Surprised by Thundersnow!