The 2010 Dominator
REED'S UPDATE: The most conspicuous new feature in this model is the air cannon array installed behind the right side rear passenger door. Other body and armor upgrades for the 2010 version of the Dominator include: 1) a more aerodynamic outer shell, 2) military-grade Rhino Lining sprayed on the steel exterior to protect us from debris projectiles and 3) a push-button lift system for the bullet-resistant outer polycarbonate windows.
Image Credit: DCL Storm Chasers Crew
The 2010 Dominator
REED'S UPDATE: The Dominator prepares to intercept a developing tornado in north-central South Dakota. As the jet stream shifts north through the summer, it pulls tornado-formation conditions right along with it. Like old friends traveling together, we follow this movement into the northern Great Plains where vast, open landscapes and excellent visibility make for excellent tornado chasing.
Image Credit: DCL Storm Chasers Crew
The 2010 Dominator
REED'S UPDATE: The Dominator pauses on a back country road in north-central South Dakota. We are always grateful for gravel on these roads since we usually have to ride them after they've been soaked by thunderstorm downpours. Even with 4-wheel drive, the Dominator's weight can sometimes make it tricky to navigate these soft surfaces.
Image Credit: DCL Storm Chasers Crew
The 2010 Dominator
REED'S UPDATE: The Dominator heads into a strong tornado in northern Minnesota, with the Hyperion support vehicle following closely behind. You may remember that last year the Hyperion Technology Group in Tupelo, Mississippi, provided us with both the remote-controlled plane and the first generation vertical radar. This year they helped design and install our new air cannon system that uses the same parachute probes deployed from the plane in 2009.
Image Credit: DCL Storm Chasers Crew
The 2010 Dominator
REED'S UPDATE: Chris loads the air cannon with parachute probes during a systems test at Hyperion Technology Group in Tupelo, Mississippi, in spring 2010.
Image Credit: DCL Storm Chasers Crew
The 2010 Dominator
REED'S UPDATE: A closer view of the Dominator's back-end shows the new polycarbonate back hatch window and gives a clear view of the laptop-sized vertical radar array deployed on the right side of the roof. Designed to measure the updraft winds inside a tornado, this radar recorded winds in excess of 170 mph inside an EF4 tornado in northern Minnesota on June 17, 2010.
Image Credit: DCL Storm Chasers Crew
The 2010 Dominator
REED'S UPDATE: Joel, Chris, and I closely watch a developing tornado while working out a plan for a possible intercept. With us is Geoff Carter, head of the Hyperion Technology engineers who design our research equipment.
Image Credit: DCL Storm Chasers Crew
The 2010 Dominator
REED'S UPDATE: While the Dominator was up north between chase seasons for body and mechanical upgrades we decided to give it some teeth! Since there's very little about our machine that's ordinary, it was time to make our radiator grill into something ferocious.
Image Credit: DCL Storm Chasers Crew
The 2010 Dominator
REED'S UPDATE: Joel, Chris, and I searching for probes with Hyperion engineers and the help of a local farmer in northern Minnesota. One of the parachute probes that deployed inside a tornado ended up stuck in a 50 foot tall tree, so the plan was to shoot down the branch to retrieve the probe. Things did not go according to plan!!!
Image Credit: DCL Storm Chasers Crew
The 2010 Dominator
REED'S UPDATE: Somewhere in the northern Great Plains, a member of the Hyperion team took this picture of us headed out across another stretch of vast prairie. The faithful engineers who came along with us this season had to get used to the hundreds of miles that typically lie between intercepts, very different than the tight spaces in their home state of Mississippi.
Image Credit: DCL Storm Chasers Crew
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