This website works best with a newer web browser such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Microsoft Edge. Internet Explorer is not supported by this website.

CIMSS Satellite Blog

MENU

Tornado outbreak in Iowa

By Scott Bachmeier •

GOES-16 Upper-level Water Vapor (6.2 µm, top left), Mid-level Water Vapor (6.9 µm, top right), Low-level Water Vapor (7.3 µm, bottom left) and

GOES-16 Upper-level Water Vapor (6.2 µm, top left), Mid-level Water Vapor (6.9 µm, top right), Low-level Water Vapor (7.3 µm, bottom left) and “Red” Visible (0.64 µm, bottom right) images [click to play MP4 animation]

GOES-16 (GOES-East) Upper-level Water Vapor (6.2 µm), Mid-level Water Vapor (6.9 µm), Low-level Water Vapor (7.3 µm) and “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images (above) revealed the well-defined signature of a mid-tropospheric lobe of vorticity moving from southeastern South Dakota across Iowa during the day on 19 July 2018 — this feature provided synoptic-scale forcing for ascent which aided in the development of severe thunderstorms in central and eastern Iowa. A number of tornadoes were reported, along with some large hail and damaging winds (SPC storm reports).

GOES-16

GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images, with SPC storm reports plotted in red [click to play MP4 animation]

A closer look using 1-minute Mesoscale Domain Sector GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images (above) showed the line of thunderstorms as they developed in advance of an approaching cold/occluded front (surface analyses). Two larger storms were dominant, which produced tornadoes causing significant damage and injuries in Pella KPEA and Marshalltown KMIW — above-anvil cirrus plumes were evident with both of these supercells. In addition, early in the animation a few orphan anvils could be seen along the southern end of the line (southeast and east of Des Moines KDSM).

The corresponding GOES-16 “Clean” Infrared Window (10.3 µm) images (below) showed cloud-top infrared brightness temperatures of -65ºC to -70ºC with the larger Pella storm, and around -55ºC with the smaller Marshalltown storm to the north.

GOES-16

GOES-16 “Clean” Infrared Window (10.3 µm) images, with SPC storm reports plotted in red [click to play MP4 animation]

GOES-16

GOES-16 “Clean” Infrared Window (10.3 µm) image, with ProbSevere contour and parameters [click to enlarge]

The NOAA/CIMSS ProbSevere model (viewed using RealEarth) had a ProbTor value of 74% at 2055 UTC for the Pella storm (above) and 83% at 2130 UTC for the Marshalltown storm (below). GOES-derived Cloud-top glaciation rate (from infrared imagery) is one of the predictors used in the model.

GOES-16 Infrared image, with ProbSevere parameters [click to enlarge]

GOES-16 “Clean” Infrared Window (10.3 µm) image, with ProbSevere contour and parameters [click to enlarge]

ProbSevere time series plots for the Pella and Marshalltown cells are shown below. They indicated that the Pella storm was long-lived, persisting past 0300 UTC — and that ProbTor ramped up quickly and then down quickly, bracketing the time of the tornado in Marshalltown.

NOAA/CIMSS ProbHail (Green), ProbWind (Blue) and ProbTor (Red) for the cell that produced the Pella IA tornado. [click to enlarge]

NOAA/CIMSS ProbHail (Green), ProbWind (Blue) and ProbTor (Red) for the cell that produced the Pella IA tornado [click to enlarge]

NOAA/CIMSS ProbHail (Green), ProbWind (Blue) and ProbTor (Red) for the cell that produced the Marshalltown IA tornado [click to enlarge]

A toggle between 375-meter resolution Suomi NPP VIIRS Visible (0.64 µm) and Infrared Window (11.45 µm) images at 1946 UTC (below) provided a look at the early stage of development of tornado-producing convection.

Suomi NPP VIIRS Visible (0.64 µm) and Infrared Window (11.45 µm) images, with plots of SPC tornado reports within +/- 30 minutes of the images [click to enlarge]

Suomi NPP VIIRS Visible (0.64 µm) and Infrared Window (11.45 µm) images, with plots of SPC tornado reports within +/- 30 minutes of the images [click to enlarge]

Additional satellite imagery and analysis of this event can be found on the Satellite Liaison Blog.


Categories: GOES-16, ProbSevere, RealEarth, Severe convection, Suomi NPP, VIIRS