Storm Syndrome

Scientists at NCAR have identified two entirely different modes of hurricane rapid intensification. The findings may lead to better understanding and prediction of these dangerous events. Hurricanes that rapidly intensify for mysterious reasons pose a particularly frightening threat to those in harm's way. Forecasters have struggled for many years to understand why a seemingly commonplace tropical depression or tropical storm sometimes blows up into a major hurricane, packing catastrophic winds and driving a potentially deadly surge of water toward shore. Now scientists have shed some light on why this forecasting challenge has been so difficult to overcome: there's more than one mechanism that causes rapid intensification. New research by scientists at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) uses the latest computer modeling techniques to identify two entirely different modes of rapid intensification. The findings may lead to better understanding and prediction of these dangerous events. "Trying to find the holy grail behind rapid intensification is the wrong approach because there isn't just one holy grail," said NCAR scientist Falko Judt, lead author of the new study. "There are at least two different modes or flavors of rapid intensification, and each one has a different set of conditions that must be met in order for the storm to strengthen so quickly." One of the modes discussed by Judt and his co-authors occurs when a hurricane intensifies symmetrically, fueled by favorable environmental conditions such as warm surface waters and low wind shear. This type of abrupt strengthening is associated with some of the most destructive storms in history, such as Hurricanes Andrew, Katrina, and Maria. Meteorologists were stunned this week when the winds of Hurricane Otis defied predictions and exploded by 110 miles per hour in just 24 hours, plowing into the west coast of Mexico at category 5 strength. Judt and his co-authors also identified a second mode of rapid intensification that had previously been overlooked because it doesn't lead to peak winds reaching such destructive levels. In the case of this mode, the strengthening can be linked to major bursts of thunderstorms far from the storm's center. These bursts trigger a reconfiguration of the cyclone's circulation, enabling it to intensify rapidly, reaching category 1 or 2 intensity within a matter of hours. This second mode is more unexpected because it typically occurs in the face of unfavorable conditions, such as countervailing upper-level winds that shear the storm by blowing the top in a different direction than the bottom. "Those storms are not as memorable and they're not as significant," Judt said. "But forecasters need to be aware that even a storm that's strongly sheared and asymmetric can undergo a mode of rapid intensification." The new study appeared in the Monthly Weather Review, a journal of the American Meteorological Society. It was funded by the U.S. Navy Office of Naval Research and by the U.S. National Science Foundation, which is NCAR's sponsor. It was co-authored by NCAR scientists Rosimar Rios-Berrios and George Bryan. A serendipitous finding Rapid intensification occurs when the winds of a tropical cyclone increase by 30 knots (about 35 miles per hour) in a 24-hour period. Judt came across the two modes of rapid intensification when working on an unrelated project. The discovery emerged after Judt produced a very high-resolution, 40-day computer simulation of the global atmosphere, using the NCAR-based Model for Prediction Across Scales (MPAS). That simulation, run at the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center, was designed for an international project comparing the output of leading atmospheric models, which have achieved unprecedented detail because of increasingly powerful supercomputers. Once Judt produced the model, he was curious to examine storms in the simulation that rapidly intensified. By looking at a number of cases across the world's ocean basins, he noticed that rapid intensification occurred in two distinct ways. This had not previously been apparent in models, partly because previous simulations captured only individual regions instead of allowing scientists to track a spectrum of hurricanes and typhoons across the world's oceans. Judt and his co-authors then combed through actual observations of tropical cyclones and found a number of real-world instances of both modes of rapid intensification. "It was kind of a serendipitous finding," Judt said. "Just by looking at the storms in the simulation and making plots, I realized that storms that rapidly intensify fall into two different camps. One is the canonical mode in which there's a tropical storm when you go to bed and when you wake up it's a category 4. But then there's another mode that goes from a tropical storm to a category 1 or 2, and it fits the definition of rapid intensification. Since nobody has those storms on their radar, that mode of rapid intensification went undetected until I went through the simulation." Meteorologists have long known that favorable environmental conditions, including very warm surface waters and minimal wind shear, can generate rapid intensification and bring a cyclone to category 4 or 5 strength with sustained winds of 130 mph or higher. In their new paper, Judt and his co-authors referred to that mode of rapid intensification as a marathon because the storm keeps intensifying symmetrically at a moderate pace while the primary vortex steadily amplifies. Judt described Hurricane Otis as a fast marathon because it intensified symmetrically but at an unusually rapid pace, marked by an 80 mph increase in wind speed during a 12-hour period. The study team labeled the other mode of rapid intensification as a sprint because the intensification is extremely quick but generally doesn't last as long, with storms peaking at category 1 or 2 strength and sustained winds of 110 mph or less. In such cases, explosive bursts of thunderstorms lead to a rearrangement of the cyclone and the emergence of a new center, enabling the storm to become more powerful -- even in the face of adverse environmental conditions. The paper concludes that the two modes may represent opposite ends of a spectrum, with many cases of rapid intensification falling somewhere in between. For instance, rapid intensification may begin with a chain of discrete events such as a burst of thunderstorms that are characteristic of the sprint mode, but then transition into a more symmetrical mode of intensification that is characteristic of the marathon mode. A question for future research is why bursts of thunderstorms can cause about 10% of storms in an unconducive environment to rapidly intensify, even though the other 90% do not, Judt said. "There could be a mechanism we haven't discovered yet that would enable us to identify the 10 from the 90," he said. "My working hypothesis is that it's random, but it's important for forecasters to be aware that rapid intensification is a typical process even in an unfavorable environment."

Second Quarter 2021 Revenues Improve 44% Compared to 2020 LENEXA, Kansas, Aug. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Digital Ally, Inc. (Nasdaq: DGLY), which develops, manufactures, and markets advanced video recording products and other critical safety products for law enforcement, emergency management, fleet safety and event security, today announced its second quarter 2021 operating results. An investor conference call is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, August 18, 2021 (see details below). Highlights for the second quarter ended June 30, 2021 Recent Developments Letter of Intent to acquire a Medical Billing Company. On May 21, 2021, the Company’s healthcare subsidiary entered a letter of intent to acquire 100% of the capital stock of a medical billing company located in the Midwest for a total purchase price of $2,750,000 (the “Target”). The purchase price includes $2.1 million in cash at closing and a $650,000 contingent consideration promissory note bearing interest at 3% per annum subject to adjustment based on revenues achieved over an approximate 18-month period after closing. The letter of intent is subject to satisfactory completion of due diligence as well as a satisfactory review of legal, financial, tax and other matters concerning the Target’s business. The letter of intent is also not binding until the parties mutually agree to the terms of the underlying definitive agreements including the receipt of all approvals and consents considered necessary by both parties. The parties are currently negotiating the final definitive agreements and anticipate a closing date on or around August 31, 2021. However, there can be no assurances that the parties will complete the acquisition of the Target and on what terms will be included in the final definitive agreements. Management Comments Stanton E. Ross, Chief Executive Officer of Digital Ally, stated, “We are very pleased to report a 44% increase in total revenues for the second quarter of 2021 as compared to 2020. Importantly, we were able to report improvements in revenue and gross margin regardless of the challenges to our legacy business caused by the COVID-19 pandemic during 2021 and 2020. Additionally, if you back out the non-cash charge related to the change in fair value of the warrant derivative liability, our earnings per share were ($0.05) for the three months ended June 30, 2021, that we are unfortunately hindered by this quarter in comparison to the first quarter of 2021. We continue to stand behind our decision not to stand still during the COVID-19 pandemic and to use our legacy distribution network to proactively expand our product offerings to include the ThermoVu and Shield lines. This decision has helped us weather the Covid storm and has helped us continue to generate revenues and opportunities during the second quarter of 2021 beyond our historical product line. We’re confident further expansion of the ThermoVu and Shield product lines to include complementary products, services, and other offerings will achieve similar market acceptance. The Shield line is also seeing increased market demand outside of COVID-19 response, with applications in general human, animal and plant wellness.” Added Ross: “We completed the purchase of a building that is in excess of 71,000 square feet, which will allow us to continue to expand and also provide more opportunity for our officing needs. Additionally, we are excited about the new Digital Ally Healthcare venture, and the formation of Nobility Healthcare, LLC which completed its first acquisition on June 30, 2021 and is on track to close a second acquisition during the third quarter. The second acquisition of a medical billing company demonstrates our roll-up strategy is attractive to potential targets. We look forward to seeing the growth potential of this venture come to fruition and continue for the remainder of 2021 and beyond. We continue to have substantial liquid resources available to us that will enable us to pursue organic expansion of our legacy business as well as potential acquisitions. As discussed, we have already put these resources to work and plan to continue pursuing and reviewing several opportunities; however, we are proceeding cautiously given the current environment and future uncertainties. We will inform our investors as we attempt to take advantage of new business opportunities and to expand our existing business lines to benefit the Company and its shareholders for 2021 and beyond”. Second Quarter 2021 Operating Results For the second quarter 2021, our total revenue increased by 44% to $2,493,671, compared with revenue of $1,732,192 for the second quarter 2020. Gross profit increased 221% to $1,260,800 for the second quarter 2021 versus $392,758 in 2020. Our gross margin increase is commensurate with the increase in product and service revenues during the three months ended June 30, 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. Selling, General and Administrative (“SG&A”) expenses increased approximately 53% to $3,877,684 in the second quarter 2021 versus $2,535,912 in 2020. The increase was primarily attributable to a large increase in insurance premiums for general liability and related coverages that are generally the impact of COVID-19 on such coverages. In addition, our travel expenses increased for the second quarter 2021 as compared to 2020, as COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease. Additionally, increases in promotional and advertising expenses for the second quarter 2021 contributed to the increase, along with increased legal and acquisition -related expenses associated with the Elite transaction in the second quarter 2021 in comparison to 2020. We reported an operating loss of $2,616,884 for the second quarter 2021, compared to an operating loss of $2,143,154 in 2020. Operating loss as a percentage of revenues bettered to 105% in the three months ended June 30, 2021 from 124% in the same period in 2020. During the first quarter of 2021, the Company issued detachable warrants to purchase a total of 42,500,000 shares of Common Stock in association with the two underwritten public offerings completed in the first quarter of 2021. The underlying warrant agreement terms provide for net cash settlement outside the control of the Company under certain circumstances in the event of tender offers. As such, the Company is required to treat these warrants as derivative liabilities which are valued at their estimated fair value at their issuance date and at each reporting date with any subsequent changes reported in the consolidated statements of operations as the change in fair value of warrant derivative liabilities. The change in fair value from March 31, 2021 to June 30, 2021 was $2,863,422, which was recognized as a loss in the Statement of Operations for the second quarter ended June 30, 2021. We reported a net loss of $5,382,487, or ($0.10) per share, in the second quarter ended June 30, 2021 compared to a prior-year net loss of $497,894 or ($0.03) per share. No income tax provision or benefit was recorded in the either 2021 or 2020 as the Company has maintained a full valuation reserve on its deferred tax assets. Investor Conference Call The Company will host an investor conference call at 11:15 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, August 18, 2021, to discuss its operating results for the second quarter 2021, developments related to its disinfectant and safety products, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and other topics of interest. Shareholders and other interested parties may participate in the conference call by dialing 844-761-0863 and entering conference ID# 1285925 a few minutes before 11:15 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, August 18, 2021. A replay of the conference call will be available two hours after its completion, from August 18, 2021 until 11:59 p.m. on October 18, 2021 by dialing 855-859-2056 and entering the conference ID # 1285925. Follow additional Digital Ally Inc. social media channels here: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the expectations or forecasts of future events, can be affected by inaccurate assumptions, and are subject to various business risks and known and unknown uncertainties, a number of which are beyond the control of management. Therefore, actual results could differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. A wide variety of factors that may cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following: whether the Company will be able to successfully identify and execute on opportunities to expand its current business lines and/or new acquisition targets and that it will be successful in integrating such new businesses in order to generate profits for the Company; whether the Company will be able to improve its revenue and operating results, especially in light of the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on our customers, suppliers and employees; whether it will be able to resolve its liquidity and operational issues given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic; whether it will be able to achieve improved production and other efficiencies to restore its gross and operating margins in the future; whether the Company will be able to continue to expand into non-law enforcement markets, including disinfectant/sanitizer and temperature screening products, and increase its service based revenue; whether the Company has resolved its product quality and supply chain issues; whether the EVO-HD will help the Company increase its product revenues; whether the Company will continue to experience declines in legal expenses as a result of concluding its patent litigation; whether and the extent to which the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) rulings will curtail, eliminate or otherwise have an effect on the actions of competitors and others in the marketplace respecting the Company, its products and customers; its ability to deliver its newer product offerings as scheduled, and in particular the new EVO-HD product platform, obtain the required components and products on a timely basis, and have them perform as planned; its ability to maintain or expand its share of the markets in which it competes, including those outside the law enforcement industry; whether it will be able to adapt its technology to new and different uses, including being able to introduce new products; competition from larger, more established companies with far greater economic and human resources; its ability to attract and retain customers and quality employees; the effect of changing economic conditions; and changes in government regulations, tax rates and similar matters. These cautionary statements should not be construed as exhaustive or as any admission as to the adequacy of the Company’s disclosures. The Company cannot predict or determine after the fact what factors would cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements or other statements. The reader should consider statements that include the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates,” “plans,” “projects,” “should,” or other expressions that are predictions of or indicate future events or trends, to be uncertain and forward-looking. It does not undertake to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional information respecting factors that could materially affect the Company and its operations are contained in its Annual Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 31, 2021 and in its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). For Additional Information, Please Contact: Stanton E. Ross, CEOThomas J. Heckman, CFO(913) 814-7774(Financial Highlights Follow) DIGITAL ALLY, INC.CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETSJUNE 30, 2021 AND DECEMBER 31, 2020 (FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE REFER TO THE COMPANY’S QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2021 FILED WITH THE SEC) DIGITAL ALLY, INC.CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONSFOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDEDJUNE 30, 2021 AND 2020(unaudited) (FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE REFER TO THE COMPANY’S QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2021 FILED WITH THE SEC)