Module8 Wind Hazards

ATOC 4880/5880
Mesoscale Meteorology
Wind Hazards associated with
Deep Convection
Spring 2023
SEEC Bldg., Room N129
Tuesdays and Thursdays 11:30 am –12:45 pm
Dr. David Kingsmill

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection
Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection
Rotating Wind Hazards: Straight-Line Wind Hazards:
Tornadoes Downbursts and Derechos

Rotating Wind Hazards:
Tornadoes
Supercell Tornadoes
Non-Supercell Tornadoes

Tornadoes
Condensation funnel and debris/dust cloud
Photographs from the Fujita collection

Supercell Tornadoes
Only ~25-30% of all supercells

produce tornadoes
Adapted from Bluestein and Parks (1983) ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection
Supercell Tornadogenesis

Supercell Tornadogenesis


Non-Supercell Tornadogenesis

Misocyclones along Boundaries
Idealized Numerical Simulations
Proxy for
density current
Schematic showing a
pattern of misocyclones
(x’s) along an inflected
boundary. Each
misocyclone is surrounded
by two convergence
maxima (+’s)
From Lee and Wilhelmson (1997) ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection
The Denver Cyclone
Misocyclones
From Wilson et al. (1992) ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection

Video of weak tornadoes near Denver on 20 June 1992

Tornado Structure and Dynamics
Laboratory Simulations
Vortex Chamber
From Church et al. (1977)

𝑄𝑄
Vortex Chamber
𝐶𝐶
From Rotunno (2013)
Swirl Ratio (𝑆𝑆):

𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑜 𝐶𝐶 𝑣𝑣0
𝑆𝑆 = =
2𝑄𝑄 𝑤𝑤0
𝐶𝐶 ≡ circulation about central axis at 𝑟𝑟0
(circulation is the area integral of vorticity)
𝑄𝑄 ≡ volume flow rate thru top of chamber
𝑣𝑣0 ≡ tangential velocity at 𝑟𝑟0
𝑤𝑤0 ≡ mean updraft at top of chamber
From Church et al. (1977) ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection
Increasing Swirl Ratio
From Church et al. (1977) ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection
S ≲ 0.5 S≈1

1≲S≲2
From Davies-Jones (1986)


S>2
From Davies-Jones (1986)

Computer Simulations
(Zonal) (Meridional)
Relatively Low Swirl Ratio
(Vertical)

(Zonal) (Meridional)
Relatively High Swirl Ratio
(Vertical)

Relatively High Swirl Ratio
At z=50 m

Radar Observations
25 km
Mesocyclone

Mesocyclone vs Tornado Detection
Reflectivity Radial Velocity
WSR-88D (KFSD)
Mesocyclone 10 km
~90 km range
0138 UTC 0138 UTC
Tornado
Doppler on Wheels
(DOW)
~4 km range
-22.5 -15 -7.5 0 7.5 15 22.5

-60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60
From Alexander and Wurman (2005) ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection
Radar Observations
Radial Velocity Reflectivity
From Wakimoto et al. (2011)

Radar Observations
From Wakimoto et al. (2011) ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection
Radar Observations
Centrifuge Effect of Tornado


Scales of Tornadic Rotation
Within a tornadic storm, especially
supercells, there can be many scales
of rotation present:
Mesocyclone: 2-7 km in scale
Tornado: 100 – 1000 m in scale
Suction vortices: 1-50 m in scale
From Fujita (1981) ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection
Suction Vortices
Visual Observations Radar Observations
From Rotunno (2013)
From Wurman (2002)

Fujita Mean
Original Fujita Scale circa 1971
-
Scale
Wind
Speed Tornado Damage
Range*
(mph) Qualitative damage description
F0 40 to 72
(45 – 78)
Light damage – some damage to chimneys and TV antennae;
breaks twigs off trees; pushes over shallow rooted trees. The F-Scale
F1 73 to 112 Moderate damage – peels surface off roots; windows broken;
(80–118) light trailer houses pushed or overturned; some trees uprooted
or snapped; moving automobiles pushed off the road. 73 mph
is the beginning of hurricane wind speed.
F2 113 to 157 Considerable damage – roofs torn off frame houses leaving
(119–161) strong upright walls; weak buildings in rural areas
demolished; trailer houses destroyed; large trees snapped or
uprooted; railroad boxcars pushed over; light object missiles
generated; cars blown off highway.
F3 158 to 206 Severe damage – roofs and some walls torn off frame houses;
(162-209) some rural buildings completely demolished; trains
overturned; steel-framed hangar-warehouse type structures
torn; cars lifted off the ground; most trees in a forest
uprooted, snapped or leveled.
F4 207 to 260 Devastating damage – whole frame houses leveled, leaving
(210-261) piles of debris; steel structures badly damaged; trees debarked
by small flying debris; cars and trains thrown some distances
or rolled considerable distances; large missiles generated.
F5 261 to 318 Incredible damage – whole frame houses tossed off
(262-317) foundations; steel-reinforced concrete structures badly
damaged; automobile-sized missiles generated; incredible
phenomena can occur.
F6- 319 to sonic Inconceivable damage – should a tornado with the maximum
F12 speed wind speed in excess of F6 occur, the extent and types of
damage may not be conceived. A number of missiles such as
ice boxes, water heaters, storage tanks, automobiles etc will
create serious secondary damage on structures.
* - Wind speeds cited here are fastest one-quarter mile winds
and the speeds in parentheses are 3-sec gust wind speeds. ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection
Tornado Damage
Examples of damage according to the F-Scale:
F1 F2
F3 F4 F5
Tornado Damage
The “Enhanced” Fujita (EF) Scale
The original Fujita scale has several limitations that include a lack of damage
indicators, no account of construction quality and variability, and no definitive
correlation between damage and wind speed. These limitations were
overcome with the development of the enhanced Fujita (EF) scale in 2007.
DERIVED EF OPERATIONAL EF
FUJITA SCALE
SCALE SCALE
3 3 3
Fastest
F Second EF Second EF Second
1/4-mile
Number Gust Number Gust Number Gust
(mph)
(mph) (mph) (mph)
0 40-72 45-78 0 65-85 0 65-85
1 73-112 79-117 1 86-109 1 86-110
2 113-157 118-161 2 110-137 2 111-135
3 158-207 162-209 3 138-167 3 136-165
4 208-260 210-261 4 168-199 4 166-200
Over
5 261-318 262-317 5 200-234 5
200
Tornado Damage
Just before tornado passage
Photographs from the Fujita collection

Tornado Damage Patterns
Examples of suction
vortex markings
From Fujita (1981)

Straight-Line Wind Hazards:
Downbursts and Derechos
Downburst and outflow from

deep convection
Wide swath of derecho

damage caused by a
propagating bow echo

Downburst:
An area of strong, often damaging, winds produced by one or more
convective downdrafts. Downbursts over horizontal spatial scales ≤ 4 km
are referred to as microbursts, whereas larger events with horizontal
spatial scales > 4 km are termed macrobursts.
Derecho:
A widespread convectively induced straight-line windstorm. Specifically,
the term is defined as any family of particularly damaging downburst
clusters produced by a mesoscale convective system. Such systems have
sustained bow echoes with book-end vortices and/or rear-inflow jets and
can generate considerable damage from straight-line winds. Damage must
be incurred either continuously or intermittently over a swath of at least
650 km (~400 mi) and a width of approximately 100 km (~60 mi) or more.
The term derecho derives from a Spanish word that can be interpreted as
"straight ahead" or "direct" and was chosen to discriminate between wind
damage caused by tornadoes, which have rotating flow, from straight-line
winds.

Downbursts
Details based ONLY on damage surveys

Downbursts
Wind damage was initially
suspected to be caused by
tornadoes. The surveys
showed damage patterns that
were diffluent rather than
rotational in nature, indicating
straight-line winds
Microbursts
≤ 4 km in
horizontal
scale
From Wilson et al. (1984)
Large impacts
on aviation
“Wet” and “Dry”

varieties
From Fujita (1985)
Microbursts
Northern Alabama
Wet Microbursts
Max downdraft of
~13 m/s
Strong downdraft
not aligned with
highest reflectivity
but coincident with
minimum in thermal
buoyancy
From Kingsmill and Wakimoto (1991) ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection
Microbursts
Northern Alabama
Wet Microbursts
Perturbation pressure and radar reflectivity

From Kingsmill and Wakimoto (1991) ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection
Dry Microbursts Microbursts Northeast Colorado
Radar
Reflectivity
Dual
Doppler
Winds
Hydrometeors in microburst downdraft
Divergence and Reflectivity
Level of aircraft penetration

through microburst downdraft
(𝑇𝑇𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 ≅ +2C)
Microbursts
Dry Microbursts Giant Anteater Microburst
Microbursts
Microburst induced
crash of jet airliner
shortly after take-off
from New Orleans on
9 July 1982. 145
deaths resulted from
this incident.
Microbursts
Microburst induced
crash of jet airliner
shortly after take-off
from Denver Stapleton
on 7 August 1975. No
deaths resulted from
this incident.
Downburst:
An area of strong, often damaging, winds produced by one or more
convective downdrafts. Downbursts over horizontal spatial scales ≤ 4 km
are referred to as microbursts, whereas larger events with horizontal
spatial scales > 4 km are termed macrobursts.
Derecho:
A widespread convectively induced straight-line windstorm. Specifically,
the term is defined as any family of particularly damaging downburst
clusters produced by a mesoscale convective system. Such systems have
sustained bow echoes with book-end vortices and/or rear-inflow jets and
can generate considerable damage from straight-line winds. Damage must
be incurred either continuously or intermittently over a swath of at least
650 km (~400 mi) and a width of approximately 100 km (~60 mi) or more.
The term derecho derives from a Spanish word that can be interpreted as
"straight ahead" or "direct" and was chosen to discriminate between wind
damage caused by tornadoes, which have rotating flow, from straight-line
winds.

Derechos
The event below produced $151M in property damage and $20M in crop
damage in IA and IL.

Bow Echoes and Derechos
Bow echoes form as a result of strong rear inflow jets enhanced by counter
rotating vertical vortices on the ends of squall lines or line segments:

Wind Rear
Damage Inflow
Jet
Rear
Inflow
Jet
Rear Inflow Jet
Derechos
From NWS (weather.gov)

Derechos
Extremely rare derecho across Colorado and the
High Plains on 6 June 2020
https://www.bouldercast.com/saturdays-historic-colorado-derecho-wind-event-was-one-for-the-record-books/
Derechos
Extremely rare derecho

across Colorado and the
High Plains on 6 June 2020

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ATOC 4880/5880

Dr. David Kingsmill

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection

Condensation funnel and debris/dust cloud

Photographs from the Fujita collection

Only ~25-30% of all supercells

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection

From Church et al. (1977)

From Rotunno (2013)

Swirl Ratio (𝑆𝑆):

Increasing Swirl Ratio

Increasing Swirl Ratio

From Davies-Jones (1986)

Increasing Swirl Ratio

From Davies-Jones (1986)

Relatively Low Swirl Ratio

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection

Relatively High Swirl Ratio

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection

Relatively High Swirl Ratio

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection

0138 UTC 0138 UTC

-22.5 -15 -7.5 0 7.5 15 22.5

From Wakimoto et al. (2011)

Radial Velocity Reflectivity

Centrifuge Effect of Tornado

From Wakimoto et al. (2012)

From Rotunno (2013)

From Wurman (2002)

Just before tornado passage

Photographs from the Fujita collection

From Fujita (1981)

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection

Downburst and outflow from

Wide swath of derecho

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection

Details based ONLY on damage surveys

“Wet” and “Dry”

Perturbation pressure and radar reflectivity

Hydrometeors in microburst downdraft

Divergence and Reflectivity

Level of aircraft penetration

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection

Rear Inflow Jet

From NWS (weather.gov)

Extremely rare derecho

ATOC Mesoscale Meteorology: Wind Hazards associated with Deep Convection