The Potential Roles of Preexisting Airmass Boundaries on a Tornadic Supercell Observed by TORUS on 28 May 2019
- a Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
- b School of Meteorology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma; c NOAA/OAR/National Severe Storms Laboratory, Norman, Oklahoma
- d Department of Geosciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
- e NOAA/National Severe Storms Laboratory, Norman, Oklahoma
- b School of Meteorology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma; e NOAA/National Severe Storms Laboratory, Norman, Oklahoma
- f Ann and H. J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
- c NOAA/OAR/National Severe Storms Laboratory, Norman, Oklahoma
On 28 May 2019, a tornadic supercell, observed as part of Targeted Observation by UAS and Radars of Supercells (TORUS) produced an EF-2 tornado near Tipton, Kansas. The supercell was observed to interact with multiple preexisting airmass boundaries. These boundaries and attendant air masses were examined using unoccupied aircraft system (UAS), mobile mesonets, radiosondes, and dual-Doppler analyses derived from TORUS mobile radars. The cool-side air mass of one of these boundaries was found to have higher equivalent potential temperature and backed winds relative to the warm-side air mass; features associated with mesoscale air masses with high theta-e (MAHTEs). It is hypothesized that these characteristics may have facilitated tornadogenesis. The two additional boundaries were produced by a nearby supercell and appeared to weaken the tornadic supercell. This work represents the first time that UAS have been used to examine the impact of preexisting airmass boundaries on a supercell, and it provides insights into the influence environmental heterogeneities can have on the evolution of a supercell.
- Research Organization:
- ARM Data Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
- Contributing Organization:
- PNNL, BNL, ANL, ORNL
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 2274733
- Journal Information:
- Monthly Weather Review, Journal Name: Monthly Weather Review Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 152; ISSN 0027-0644
- Publisher:
- American Meteorological SocietyCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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