By Hope Benjamin
Elm Staff Writer
The McLain Program for Environmental Studies and Earth Planetary Studies Department sponsored a guest lecture by Matthew Cappucci on Nov. 14 about the secrets of tornadoes.
Cappucci is a journalist at the Washington Post and an avid storm chaser. He studied at Harvard University and MIT, concentrating in atmospheric sciences. Cappucci has traveled extensively throughout Tornado Alley, catching videos and collecting data from different natural phenomena.
Dr. Karl Kehm, Chair of the McLain Fund and Associate Professor of Physics and Environmental Science and Studies, said he has been following Cappucci’s work extensively for about five years now, and the opportunity to have Cappucci present his passion for tornadoes is just something inspiring to the student body at Washington College.
“He is an amazing communicator of science … and it has been very surreal to have him here,” Dr. Kehm said.
Lynn McLain, daughter of chemist and former president of the College Joseph Howard McLain attended Cappucci’s lecture looking forward to hearing about the hidden science of tornadoes and other weather events.
“My father was a strong environmentalist who was dedicated to education in sciences like this, and so I am strongly happy about this event,” McLain said.
The presentation featured information about types of tornadoes, vortexes, and other weather events like hurricanes that Cappucci explained alongside videos of his storm chases.
Standing in front of a tornado can be exhilarating and scary, Cappucci said, and witnessing a major weather event can be spectacular from up close and personal. Cappucci described what it is like to see the spin as it unfolds in front of ones eyes, comparing a large tornado to looking up to Mount Everest.
Cappucci also explained the concept of dynamic piping, which can be seen in the tube of the tornado, as it gets narrower, and so can produce incredible upward motion.
Storm chasing is a passion that anyone can get into, Cappucci said, but individuals should remember to do it safely.
“If you are interested in something, do not wait for the opportunity to rise,” Cappucci said. “I was driving out and chasing tornadoes back in college, simply because I wanted to, and I figured the only way to get experience was to go out there and take a stab at it.”
Senior Michael Hudak said he was moved by Cappucci’s lifelong interest in meteorology. Cappucci recalled using a green screen in the basement of a college building to practice forecasting and shared a photo of himself as a 5-year-old wearing a cloud-patterned tie and dreaming of becoming a meteorologist.
During a conversation at dinner after the lecture, Hudak said Cappucci discussed the role of AI in forecasting, noting that as learning models more accurately predict phenomena, the role of meteorologists may increasingly be in communicating and explaining AI weather predictions.
At the end of his presentation, Cappucci answered various questions from the audience regarding tornadoes and other weather events. One question Cappucci answered confirmed that the 2024 movie “Twisters” is a more accurate depiction of storm chasing than the original late 90s version of the film, as producers consulted meteorologists in the more recent filming process.
Senior Andrew Ellestad said that Cappucci’s lecture had an important impact on the community. Students who attended were able to learn about and visualize unknown facts about weather events like tornadoes, Ellestad said.
“It was really exciting and informative to be able to attend an event like this one,” Ellestad said. “Cappucci cares a lot about what he does and has a lot of passion for it and its importance for science.”
The tornado lecture is the final guest speaker event scheduled for Litrenta Lecture Hall this semester.
Photo Caption: Matthew Cappucci, a meteorologist and Washington Post reporter, visited Washington College on Nov. 14 to discuss weather phenomena and changes in forecasting.
Photo by Hope Benjamin