Open AccessSupercells in Environments with Atypical Hodographs
Author(s) -
David O. Blanchard
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
weather and forecasting
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.393
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1520-0434
pISSN - 0882-8156
DOI - 10.1175/waf-d-11-00012.1
Subject(s) - thunderstorm , supercell , climatology , meteorology , middle latitudes , geology , hodograph , subtropics , severe weather , geography , storm , fishery , biology
An unusual severe weather event with supercell thunderstorms developed across portions of northern Arizona in the midst of the warm-season North American monsoon—a regime characteristically dominated by a subtropical upper-level high over the southwestern United States. The approach of a midlatitude, cold-core, upper-level low brought an environment of enhanced shear and increased instability supportive of supercells. This atypical system is described and how a correct interpretation of the winds and hodograph would allow a forecaster to maintain situational awareness is discussed.