News DetailUsing Level II radar data to estimate the Greensburg tornado tracks
Posted At: May 16, 2007 @ 10:34 AM
Posted By: Reed Timmer
Related Categories: Tornadoes
Here is the estimated tornado damage path using Level II radar data. Basically, radial velocity is used to estimate areas of extreme rotation and divergence. While this estimation is not nearly perfect, it is very useful in delineating the potential damage path when damage wasn't produced. Also, it appears from this data that the tornado produced after the Greensburg EF-5 may have been stronger and larger, but since it thankfully did not hit any structures was rated an EF-3.
We are still waiting on the damage surveys for the Ellis Co., OK tornado on May 4 and the southwest/central KS tornadoes on May 5...these will be posted as soon as they're released.
May 21-23 looks interesting for the central/northern Plains for a tornado event...Stay tuned!
We are still waiting on the damage surveys for the Ellis Co., OK tornado on May 4 and the southwest/central KS tornadoes on May 5...these will be posted as soon as they're released.
May 21-23 looks interesting for the central/northern Plains for a tornado event...Stay tuned!
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hey Reed, do you think we will see any action in suthern Wyoming?
Severe storms with heavy winds and small hail are possible in sw Virginia this afternoon and evening...it's been just really breezy so far today, which I know Jaci can relate to LOL
That damage path is intense...wow.
Reed Was the F-3 tornado that you reference photo videographed?
Mary
Yes I can relate. Here in Cheyenne, we have a light breeze of 30 or 40 mph almost EVERY day. No.... its not that bad, but we do have WIND!
It's amazing to look at the size of the second tornado that developed after the F5. That storm was a monster!
thank u reed for takeing that stupid stuff off of here
OK...the freak show that was posting earlier should be gone for good...I was away from the computer for awhile and when I came back all hell had broken loose. We needed him to post at least once to gain some info...if he knows what's good for him he won't post again.
I apologize for that...
We want to avoid a membership if possible since it would be rather inconvenient...but we're going to implement a forum in the next week or so which will be membership based. If we have consistent problems with people posting inappropriate content then we'll have to implement a membership on the blog as well.
Yeah, tell Doswell to stop posting on your site. We all know it was him.
YES!! why were thay posting that stuff?????
I have no idea caleb...there are a lot of freaks out there on the internet these days. Clearly this guy is a psychopath...we'll probably see him on Dateline's Internet predator show...and we're pursuing the appropriate action with the authorities to make sure he he's gone for good.
Good job getting rid of that psychopath, now back to business, are there possibilities for severe storms the next few days? I saw a few tornado warnings and a spotted tornado on radar yesterday.
Jeez.. That path is crazy. Are there any videos of the tornado just after the EF-5?
Its nice to know you Care Reed :)
And I cant wait for the forum!
Reed
From the looks of what has already taken place this year, do you think the rest of the summer will produce even bigger storms? Maybe more storms?
Good to see them trolls gone Reed.
Now finally back to fun & business (weather that is)
Well I recieved nothing really from the last storm but found this from SPC that looked interesting.
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/exper/day4-8/
It shows from MN to be on lookout on Day 6 & 7 of thier deal.
One other thing & this goes for everyone including Reed & Joel:
On America Online (Weather Chat). back in 1997. Myself, Darksky248, SKYYWARN & Others comprised the idea of a Storm Coverage Team (also JBarely777).
Reed: I was thinking of a idea of maybe a joint effort between us & Tornado Videos. if not that is ok too.
Keep up the great work you guys.
This is a great info site to use.
Thanks
Antone
MDSONG@aol.com
AOL's Storm Coverage Team.
Reed in GRLevel 3, i see a purple arrow when i put my mouse on this arrow, a menu appears with information like:
Type: TVS
Cell: A0
AVGDV: 32 kts
LLDV: 64 kts
MAXDV: 64 kts
MXSHR: 28/ks
Does this indicate a possible tornado? and what does these numbers and abbreviations mean?
This storm is close to North Platte Central Nebraska, looks pretty serious to me.
well Jaci you can never predict a storm seson.
so I don't know. but maby
Thanks Caleb
I understand that weather can never be predicted. I live in probably the most unpredictable state in the US...hehe... but I thought that maybe there was a way to tell if a season was going to be good, bad, or ugly. I really dont know much about weather, except that it amuses me! :)
Antone...that's a great idea...and we're always interested in implementing some kind of organized network.. Once things die down in the offseason we can definitely talk about it.
Wouter: The red triangle indicates the presence of a tornado vortex signature on radar. However, one thing I've noticed about GRlevel3 is it often erroneously places TVS even when they aren't present. You can tell if it's a TVS by using the radar reflectivity, etc. to see if it's physically possible.
That cell northeast of North Platte does look interesting, and appears to have a mesocyclone. But you can also see an outflow boundary on radar that is moving faster southward than the storm...so it may become or already is outflow dominant. I bet the cloud bases are extremely high out there as well...it's probably a beautiful storm though.
It's nice to see the comments are back up and running . I look forward to the forums.
WOOHOO! Thanks for getting rid of the troll, Reed! And I do apologize for my part in responding to him, I guess I just wanted to get a word in before he got canned...I don't normally respond to trolls at all.
I look forward to the forums coming!
Heheh Jaci...I'm in the Blue Ridge foothills and it's just constant wind, usually north/south...we used to live in a more valley type area that had little wind, so when we moved here we were rather surprised by the perpetual wind (grin).
No Mary...thanks for getting your word in!!
Our wind here, blows from ease to west north to south and any way inbetween. if you are ever through Wy, look at the trees, they lean. We dont have any trees that stand straight up and down. How is your weather now? Do you have hail and wind...well...hail?
Thank you for that information Reed!
I'll keep an eye on that storm, i'm curious what's going to happen to that storm.
Jaci, living in Texas, I can certainly identify with you as far as unpredictable weather goes. It's not usually that windy here, except for one crazy day. Lets just say, dont try to paintball when the wind is blowin at up to 60 mph and there is so much dust in the air you can't tell who is who. But as far as weather being crazy/unpedictable, try snow one week, IN APRIL, and then less than a week later, (and for the next 3 weeks) tornadoes!! freaky...
As far as I know, the only real long term weather forecasting done is for hurricanes, but it is probably attempted for other things.
Reed, I don't know exactly what went on yesterday, but you could try making it so that certain words cannot be posted here.
I'm looking at the Unisys site & we have 2 active systems.
Tropical Storm System 02-W in the Western Pacific.
http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/w_pacific/2007/index.html
Cyclone Akash In The North Indian
http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/indian_oc/2007/index.html
Not much but that is the wild water news of the day
you'er welcome jaci always glad to help.
Forums will be awesome.
what is a Forum? and will it cost any thing?
Actually Jaci, we didn't even get a rumble of thunder at all! There was a severe storm watch up earlier, beginning two counties north of me and extending to the D.C. area. We got some rain and it stayed as breezy as it usually is, but that was it...dun dun dunnnnnn...
And Reed, no problem, heh (g). I didn't really think until afterwards that maybe comments directed toward the troll could make things worse, but hey he's gone now and everyone's happy again LOL
Yes echo the comments re all that mayhem with the posts - back to normality!
I'm a member of the Australian Severe Weather Discussion Forum and I can tell those that are wondering what they are all about is that forums are a wealth of info and our aussie site especially is awesome. The founders are long time chasers to the US and many members are meteorologists/scientists and above all chasers and they are also founders/members of the Australian Severe Weather organisation. Most of what I've learnt thus far has come from there and of course Reed! (onya mate!)
Forums are great if they are maintained and I'm sure Reed will do just that - you have my vote for it and i'll join for any fee!
Nice post re the tornado path - i've been answering questions to people since it happened!!
cheers, Mike/Australia.
Do tornadoes occur in other countries or just in the USA?
Bobby, tornadoes do in fact occur in many countries. whilst they may not be associated with intense supercells that occur in the US, often nonsupercellular storms produce tornadoes if there is the right amount of wind shear/vorticity available. Europe, England and here in Australia have encountered them. whilst they are not as intense in EF scale severity, most of them are F0 or F2 status and do not occur that often, if ever and generally are waterspouts which are popular. In Australia we have many tornodoes but often weak EF0 scale. Although in Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory a deepening low eventuated into a CAT4 cyclone and produced an EF3 tornado from a single large supercell spawned by the deepening low pressure system.
If there is vertical shear and it is sustainable then any storm can produce a tornado with the right atmospheric conditions. hope that answers your question!
Mike
Booby there are on average 33 tornados recorded in the UK each year. It was actually first recongised by Dr Fujita that when you take land area into consideration then the UK has the highest frequency of tornadoes each year.
As Mike said most of these tornados are small on US scales. In the UK we mostly use the tornado intensity scale called the T scale which has a higher resolution of classifications compared to EF scale. Saying that I don't know if it is the most intense tornado recorded in the UK but in 1810 a tornado classified as T8 (with around 200 miles per hour winds) was recorded on the south coast of the UK so they aren't always small and weak.
sarah
Oh and good to see that you use google ads!
If we all press once everyday, you probable have enough money for 1 full tank of fuel each week :o)
Reed, would you like a pic to post of the Greensburg wedge just as it was going into Greensburg?
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