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Using Overshooting Top Area to Discriminate Potential for Large, Intense Tornadoes
Author(s) -
Marion G. R.,
Trapp R. J.,
Nesbitt S. W.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2019gl084099
Subject(s) - tornado , storm , environmental science , meteorology , intensity (physics) , climatology , severe weather , atmospheric sciences , geology , geography , physics , quantum mechanics
Recent work established strong links between storm updraft width and the tornado intensity, suggesting that updraft width could be used to gauge potential tornado intensity. It was also posited that overshooting top area (OTA) could be used as an analog for updraft width and, thus, as a means to assess potential tornado intensity in observed storms. The implementation of new high‐resolution GOES‐R series satellites presents a unique opportunity to investigate these findings in severe weather observations. Herein, a method using GOES‐16 longwave infrared satellite data to quantify OTA of tornadic storms is explored. A comparison between observed tornado strength and OTA yields a strong correlation ( R 2 = 0.54). These results show the potential of these quantifications to be used with real‐time observations of tornadic storms, irrespective of storm mode, seasonality, or geographic location, allowing forecasters to determine which storms pose the highest risk to life and property.