Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

The Temporal Evolution of Convective Indices in Storm-Producing Environments

Timothy J. Wagner Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, Wisconsin

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Wayne F. Feltz Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, Wisconsin

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Steven A. Ackerman Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, Wisconsin

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Print Publication:
01 Oct 2008
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/2008WAF2007046.1
Page(s):
786–794
Restricted access

Abstract

Temporal changes in stability and shear associated with the development of thunderstorms are quantified using the enhanced temporal resolution of combined Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI) thermodynamic profile retrievals and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 404-MHz wind profiler observations. From 1999 to 2003, AERI systems were collocated with NOAA wind profilers at five sites in the southern Great Plains of the United States, creating a near-continuous dataset of atmospheric soundings in both the prestorm and poststorm environments with a temporal resolution of up to 10 min between observations.

Median values for several standard severe weather indices were calculated for tornadic storms and nontornadic supercells. It was found that instability generally increases throughout the preconvective period, reaching a peak roughly 1 h before a tornado forms or a nontornadic supercell forms large hail. Wind shear for both tornadic and nontornadic storms starts to increase roughly 3 h before storm time. However, indices are highly variable between time and space and may not be representative of the environment at large.

Corresponding author address: Timothy J. Wagner, CIMSS, 1225 W. Dayton St., Madison, WI 53706. Email: tjwagner2@wisc.edu

Abstract

Temporal changes in stability and shear associated with the development of thunderstorms are quantified using the enhanced temporal resolution of combined Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI) thermodynamic profile retrievals and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 404-MHz wind profiler observations. From 1999 to 2003, AERI systems were collocated with NOAA wind profilers at five sites in the southern Great Plains of the United States, creating a near-continuous dataset of atmospheric soundings in both the prestorm and poststorm environments with a temporal resolution of up to 10 min between observations.

Median values for several standard severe weather indices were calculated for tornadic storms and nontornadic supercells. It was found that instability generally increases throughout the preconvective period, reaching a peak roughly 1 h before a tornado forms or a nontornadic supercell forms large hail. Wind shear for both tornadic and nontornadic storms starts to increase roughly 3 h before storm time. However, indices are highly variable between time and space and may not be representative of the environment at large.

Corresponding author address: Timothy J. Wagner, CIMSS, 1225 W. Dayton St., Madison, WI 53706. Email: tjwagner2@wisc.edu

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