WSR-88D Mesocyclone and Tornado Signature
Case Study
Page
Greg Stumpf, Pat Burke, and
DeWayne Mitchell,
of the National Severe Storms
Laboratory,
have set up this page containing links to various cases studies
depicting WSR-88D observations of mesocyclone and tornado signatures.
These cases are being compiled from a number of WSR-88D locations
from around the United States. The cases shown on these pages
are being used for continued evaluation of NSSL's Mesocyclone Detection Algorithm (MDA)
(Stumpf et al. 1998) and Tornado Detection Algorithm (TDA)
(Mitchell et al. 1998) [these papers are part of the special NEXRAD
issue of Wea. Forecasting, June 1998].
We want to demonstrate examples of thunderstorms containing storm-scale
vortices of a variety of strengths and dimensions. With the advent
of the nationwide deployment of WSR-88D Doppler radars, we are
discovering that more and more rotating storms do not fit the
"classic" paradigms of supercells and tornadoes that were first
hypothesized from Central Oklahoma data. For a complete discussion,
consult the papers in the Wea. Forecasting special issue.
We maintain an up-to-date
Web page
with these cases, and more cases to come after the pressing of this
CD-ROM. Please check it out.