Affiliation:
1. NOAA/OAR National Severe Storms Laboratory Norman OK USA
2. Cooperative Institute for Severe and High‐Impact Weather Research and Operations University of Oklahoma Norman OK USA
3. School of Meteorology University of Oklahoma Norman OK USA
Abstract
AbstractSupercells in landfalling tropical cyclones (TCs) often produce tornadoes that can cause fatalities and extensive damage. In previous studies, many tornadoes have been shown to form <50 km from the coast, and their parent storms may also intensify as they cross the coastal boundary. This study uses WSR‐88D observations of TC tornadic mesocyclones from 2011 to 2018 to examine changes in their low‐level rotation upon moving onshore. We will show that radar‐derived azimuthal shear tends to increase in storms that cross the coastal boundary. Similar intensification trends are also found in radar‐derived (supercell) storm‐scale divergence, such that storm‐scale convergence increases as storms move onshore. It is likely changes in the near‐coast vertical wind shear and/or near‐shore convergence helps explain supercell intensification, which is important to consider particularly in operational settings.
Funder
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Science Foundation
U.S. Department of Commerce
Publisher
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Subject
General Earth and Planetary Sciences,Geophysics