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- Title
Reflectivity Vortex Hole in a Tornadic Supercell.
- Authors
SCHULTZ, CHAUNCY J.
- Abstract
The Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) at Thedford, Nebraska, detected a distinct reflectivity minimum in the hook echo of a tornadic supercell over north-central Nebraska on 11 August 2011. This "eye-like" feature was co-located with a tornadic vortex signature and was detectable to an altitude exceeding 8 km above ground level. A literature review of eye-like features in radar imagery in association with tornadic storms revealed that these signatures have been documented since the 1950s, but may have only recently become more commonly observed by WSR-88Ds with the change to super-resolution grid spacing. The reflectivity vortex hole observed on 11 August 2011 was analyzed using both constant-elevation and three-dimensional radar imagery. Polarimetric radar data from WSR-88Ds in close proximity to four prominent tornadoes in May and June 2013 revealed at least brief reflectivity vortex holes with each of those cases, and suggested that recognition of vortex holes by meteorologists may supplement information from polarimetric tornadic debris signatures.
- Subjects
DOPPLER radar; SURVEILLANCE radar; THUNDERSTORMS; STORMS; TORNADOES; RADAR polarimetry
- Publication
Journal of Operational Meteorology, 2014, Vol 2, Issue 9, p103
- ISSN
2325-6184
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.15191/nwajom.2014.0209