In a 2009 post, Are There Going to Be Any Hurricanes in 2009, I made the following comment:
While some may suggest that tornado activity is well accepted, I have sat across from Dr. Max Mayfield and debated this topic at a Windstorm Conference. The better the measuring devices are becoming, the better we understand how some very unique strong winds and gusts are more prevalent than previously thought in hurricanes.
Last night, the Windstorm Insurance Conference presented me with the Max Mayfield Award. The current President of the Windstorm Insurance Network, insurance defense attorney Wayne Taylor of Mozley, Finlayson & Loggins, said some very complimentary things about me (that a jury or judge will never hear) before announcing that I was being presented this award.
My better half, Donice, looked around and told me that I had to do something with my very well-made Old Fashion. I spilled part of it down my shirt before finding a table to set the now half-empty drink on an unsuspecting vendor’s table.
The only thing I could think of was the irony that Max Mayfield, the guy that I heatedly argued with about tornados being present in hurricane force winds, had an award named after him, and I was getting an award that was named after him. I am not sure if Wayne Taylor and the others thinking of giving me this award knew of the personal story I had written about in my blog long ago.
Unlike yours truly, Max Mayfield is a name synonymous with excellence in science and meteorology. He is best known for his tenure as the director of the National Hurricane Center (NHC) from 2000 to 2007. Mayfield’s career spanned decades, and he became a trusted voice in weather forecasting, particularly in the realm of tropical storms and hurricanes. His calm and authoritative demeanor during hurricane briefings earned him widespread respect, not just from the scientific community but also from the millions who relied on his updates during life-threatening storms. My impression was that Mayfield’s emotional ability to communicate complex meteorological data in a way that was both clear and actionable played a pivotal role in saving countless lives. Hurricanes such as Katrina, Rita, and Wilma tested his leadership during those crises, and he remained a trusted benchmark for disaster preparedness and response.
Mayfield’s speeches often demonstrated his understanding that preparedness is key to mitigating the devastating impacts of hurricanes. Mayfield championed public education initiatives to increase awareness about storm risks and the importance of early action. His work emphasized the value of clear communication, ensuring that warnings reached even the most vulnerable populations. Recognizing his outstanding service, Mayfield has received numerous accolades, including the Presidential Rank Award and induction into the National Weather Association’s Hall of Fame. These honors reflect his enduring influence on the field of meteorology and disaster management. He was a featured speaker at the Windstorm Insurance Conference. People listened to Max because he cared, and it showed in his messages.
No wonder I was surprised to hear my name mentioned with Max Mayfield. Mayfield is a legend in the field of hurricane science. “Chip Merlin” is a name the insurance industry wants to have demoted to junk science and forgotten, at best.
Honestly, the one thing that stuck in my mind while accepting the award is how poorly Max and I argued with one another about the issue of tornados being common in hurricanes. It was not a Kumbaya type of discussion. His opinion was costing me and my clients hundreds of thousands of Benjamins, and I was not in a backing down frame of mind.
Today, we all accept that tornados occur during hurricanes, as Shaun Marker noted in Hurricanes Harvey and Irma Produced Tornados and Tornadic Activity Across Texas and Florida:
Tornadoes are a common phenomenon that accompany a strong hurricane that makes landfall. Particularly when the landfall is over such a wide area and for such a significant time as that with Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
So how does a hurricane cause a tornado? Tornadoes are formed due to the instability in the opposing vertical and horizontal forces in the wind. These highly unstable low altitude tropical storms produce small superstorm cells. The storm cells are formed because of the high vertical shear force (or perpendicular force) acting on an already chaotic system. The turbulent wind direction changes, coupled with the high vertical force because of the low attitude, form a supercell storm.
Tornadoes form over land in most cases. The increased wind resistance that land offers on one side increases shear forces, spawning tornadoes. This factor propels tornado formation during hurricanes after they make landfall.
The Windstorm Insurance Conference is a can-not-miss event for those in leadership positions in the windstorm insurance claims industry. It is unlike any other event and causes me to think deeply about the views others from the insurance industry have upon claims.
I am deeply humbled by this award, and it is hard to think I could be mentioned in the same breath as a person such as Max Mayfield, who made such important scientific strides with hurricane preparedness, resilience, and prediction.
Thank you.
Thought For The Day
“Preparation through education is less costly than learning through tragedy.”
—Max Mayfield
