Four For Friday: Tornado Tracks, EPA Flyovers, Waldo Canyon Fire Imagery, EPC Meeting Videos

In no particular order - Four For Friday:

Tornado Tracks: As seen above, last month John Nelson at his IDVsolutions blog released a graphic and supporting materials which show the location, track and intensity of 61 years of tornadoes across the U.S.  That effort was recently joined by one showing the intensity and location of earthquakes around the world since 1898.  More on these efforts is available using the links below: 

• Windy On the East: Map Shows the Path of EVERY Tornado to Hit the U.S. In the Last 60 Years (MailOnline, July 3, 2012)
• Earthquakes Since 1898 (John Nelson, IDVsolutions, June 25, 2012)
• Animated Tornado Tracks Over 61 Overs (John Nelson, et. al. IDVsolutions, June 20, 2012)
• Seasonal Tornado Habitats, 1950 - 2011 (John Nelson, IDVsolutions, June 18, 2012)

EPA Flyovers: Recently, the EPA started conducting regulation compliance inspections of Midwest farms from the air. Reminiscent of issues associated with a drone being used in the arrest of a North Dakota farmer last year (see: Drone Arrest - Legal or Not?), area ranchers, feed lot owners, farmers - and now local legislators - are not real happy about this development. Use the link below to learn more:

• Midwest Ranchers, Lawmakers Protest EPA Flyovers (AP, July 2, 2012)

Waldo Canyon Fire Imagery: Sanborn has made available an aerial mosaic of the burn area for the Waldo Canyon Fire that occurred to the west of Colorado Springs. Hearts and prayers go out to those who lost their homes or more.  The links below will provide access to the viewer and background information (screen opens dead center over the edge of the burn area, works best in FireFox and Chrome):

• Waldo Canyon Fire Damage Viewer (Sanborn, June 30, 2012)
• Sanborn Captures Imagery of Area Devastated by Waldo Canyon Fire (Sanborn, June 30, 2012)

EPC Meeting PowerPoint Videos: OK, so they are never going to win any Academy Awards.  Now that we're past that issue, for your extended viewing pleasure and education, find below links for the three educational presentations that were offered at the EPC's June 14, 2012 meeting (links to these presentations, as well as stand-alone, high quality slides, are also available in the right side bar):

• Snap Shot: Unmanned Aircraft Systems PPT Recording (25 minutes - Brian Huberty, Remote Sensing Expert, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
• Snap Shot: Minnesota Structures Collaborative PPT Recording (20 minutes - John Hoshal, GIS Services Supervisor, Minnesota Geospatial Information Office)
• Fire Chief Seal AHIMT and TF-1 Presentations PPT Recording (55 minutes - Ulie Seal, Fire Chief, Bloomington Fire Department and Past Chair of the DHS State, Local, Tribal and Territorial Government Coordinating Council)

Comment: Next week, come back ready to go swimming.  Until then, have a great weekend!