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Tornadoes in Wyoming

By Scott Bachmeier •

GOES-16

GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images, with hourly plots of surface observations (cyan/yellow) along with SPC storm reports and Interstate Highways (red) and State Highways (cyan) [click to play MP4 animation]

1-minute Mesoscale Domain Sector GOES-16 (GOES-East) “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images (above) showed the development of a supercell thunderstorm that produced tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds (SPC storm reports) across parts of eastern Wyoming on 28 July 2018. A distinct above-anvil cirrus plume could be seen with this storm.

The corresponding GOES-16 “Clean” Infrared Window (10.3 µm) images (below) revealed that the dominant northern storm began to exhibit a well-defined enhanced-V signature (2051 UTC image) about an hour before it began to produce tornadoes. Minimum cloud-top infrared brightness temperatures were in the -60 to -65ºC range (darker shades of red) with the stronger pulses of overshooting tops.

GOES-16 "Clean" Infrared Window (10.3 µm) images, with hourly plots of surface observations (yellow) along with SPC storm reports (cyan) Interstate Highways (violet) and State Highways (cyan) [click to play MP4 animation]

GOES-16 “Clean” Infrared Window (10.3 µm) images, with hourly plots of surface observations (yellow) along with SPC storm reports (cyan) Interstate Highways (violet) and State Highways (cyan) [click to play MP4 animation]

A sequence of Infrared Window images from Suomi VIIRS (11.45 µm) and Aqua MODIS (11.0 µm) (below) showed minimum cloud-top infrared brightness temperatures rapidly cooling from the -40s to -72ºC as the dominant storm crossed Interstate 25.

Suomi NPP VIIRS and Aqua MODIS Infrared Window images [click to enlarge]

Infrared Window images from Suomi NPP VIIRS (11.45 µm) and Aqua MODIS (11.0 µm) [click to enlarge]

A comparison of the Terra and Aqua MODIS Total Precipitable Water product (below) indicated that TPW values increased from the 10-20 mm range to the 20-30 mm range in less than 2 hours.

Terra and Aqua MODIS Total Precipitable Water product [click to enlarge]

Terra and Aqua MODIS Total Precipitable Water product [click to enlarge]

Categories: Aqua, GOES-16, MODIS, Severe convection, Suomi NPP, VIIRS