Atmosphere

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Radar Applications for Severe Weather Understanding and Nowcasting

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Matthew Van Den Broeke

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
Interests: radar; polarimetry; severe storms; operational meteorology; aeroecology; perceptions of severe weather

Dr. Matthew J. Bunkers

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

NOAA National Weather Service, Rapid City, SD 57701, USA
Interests: operational weather analysis and forecasting; severe storms; winter storms; radar and satellite meteorology; applied climatology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Severe storms have large personal and economic impacts each year. Radar observations remain a valuable way to obtain critical information about thunderstorm structure, microphysics, and temporal changes. This Special Issue of Atmosphere is focused broadly on the use of radar observations to gain understanding of severe storms. We seek research studies in which radar observations are used to examine any aspect of severe storms. Polarimetric or research radar observations are particularly encouraged. Potential submissions may include those elucidating fundamental storm structure and microphysics, and changes in these aspects over time. Studies with a nowcasting/operational focus are also welcome, as are studies with a radar component but focused more broadly, for example, on numerical methods or the role of environmental variability in severe storm morphology. Descriptions and results of algorithms to more effectively use radar observations during severe weather events are sought. Social aspects of the use of radar in severe weather situations, either among nowcasters or the general public, are also welcome.

Dr. Matthew Van Den Broeke
Dr. Matthew J. Bunkers
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Atmosphere is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Severe storm radar observations
Severe storm microphysical processes
Severe storm environmental variability
Severe storm structure
Severe storm nowcasting
Radar algorithms for thunderstorms

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

13 pages, 1076 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Polarimetric Radar Characteristics of Tornadogenesis Failure in Supercell Thunderstorms

by Matthew Van Den Broeke

Atmosphere 2021, 12(5), 581; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12050581 - 30 Apr 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2285

Abstract

Many nontornadic supercell storms have times when they appear to be moving toward tornadogenesis, including the development of a strong low-level vortex, but never end up producing a tornado. These tornadogenesis failure (TGF) episodes can be a substantial challenge to operational meteorologists. In this study, a sample of 32 pre-tornadic and 36 pre-TGF supercells is examined in the 30 min pre-tornadogenesis or pre-TGF period to explore the feasibility of using polarimetric radar metrics to highlight storms with larger tornadogenesis potential in the near-term. Overall the results indicate few strong distinguishers of pre-tornadic storms. Differential reflectivity (Z_DR) arc size and intensity were the most promising metrics examined, with Z_DR arc size potentially exhibiting large enough differences between the two storm subsets to be operationally useful. Change in the radar metrics leading up to tornadogenesis or TGF did not exhibit large differences, though most findings were consistent with hypotheses based on prior findings in the literature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radar Applications for Severe Weather Understanding and Nowcasting)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

30 pages, 39088 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Multi-Radar Analysis of the 20 May 2013 Moore, Oklahoma Supercell through Tornadogenesis and Intensification

by Clarice N. Satrio, David J. Bodine, Robert D. Palmer and Charles M. Kuster

Atmosphere 2021, 12(3), 313; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12030313 - 28 Feb 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3027

Abstract

A multi-radar analysis of the 20 May 2013 Moore, Oklahoma, U.S. supercell is presented using three Weather Surveillance Radars 1988 Doppler (WSR-88Ds) and PX-1000, a rapid-scan, polarimetric, X-band radar, with a focus on the period between 1930 and 2008 UTC, encompassing supercell maturation through rapid tornado intensification. Owing to the 20-s temporal resolution of PX-1000, a detailed radar analysis of the hook echo is performed on (1) the microphysical characteristics through a hydrometeor classification algorithm (HCA)—inter-compared between X- and S-band for performance evaluation—including a hail and debris class and (2) kinematic properties of the low-level mesocyclone (LLM) assessed through

Δ V_{r}

analyses. Four transient intensifications in

Δ V_{r}

prior to tornadogenesis are documented and found to be associated with two prevalent internal rear-flank downdraft (RFD) momentum surges, the latter surge coincident with tornadogenesis. The momentum surges are marked by a rapidly advancing reflectivity (

Z_{H}

) gradient traversing around the LLM, descending reflectivity cores (DRCs), a drop in differential reflectivity (

Z_{D R}

) due to the advection of smaller drops into the hook echo, a decrease in correlation coefficient (

ρ_{h v}

), and the detection of debris from the HCA. Additionally, volumetric analyses of

Z_{D R}

and specific differential phase (

K_{D P}

) signatures show general diffusivity of the

Z_{D R}

arc even after tornadogenesis in contrast with explosive deepening of the

K_{D P}

foot downshear of the updraft. Similarly, while the vertical extent of the

Z_{D R}

and

K_{D P}

columns decrease leading up to tornadogenesis, the phasing of these signatures are offset after tornadogenesis, with the

Z_{D R}

column deepening the lagging of

K_{D P}

. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radar Applications for Severe Weather Understanding and Nowcasting)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Radar Applications for Severe Weather Understanding and Nowcasting

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (2 papers)

Research

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI