Yesterday, I wrote about some of the considerations applicable to this year's "Vortex 2026" storm research program sponsored by NOAA.  At the same time The Wall Street Journal posted a video pertaining to drone research as it applies to tornado forecasting and warning. The screen capture above correctly points out the great distances between weather balloon stations is a significant impediment to having data on the scale needed to forecast tornadoes with more accuracy.  The video explains that NOAA is experimenting with drones (that cost up to $100,000+ per drone!) to measure the atmosphere up to 5,000 feet above the ground with a goal of getting measurements up to 10,000 feet in the future.  What is the problem? We had a perfectly good method of of taking these measurements -- at much less cost -- as recently as a dozen years ago! The map above displays (red) the location of NWS weather balloon sites as shown in the video (there are about 90 more in the U.S.A.). It also...