Comparison of the Tornadic and Nontornadic Supercells Intercepted by VORTEX2 on 10 June 2010

Abstract

On 10 June 2010, the second Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment (VORTEX2) armada collected a rare set of observations of a nontornadic and a tornadic supercell evolving in close proximity to each other. The storms and their environments were analyzed using single- and dual-Doppler radar, mobile mesonet, deployable surface mesonet, and mobile sounding data, with the goal of understanding why one supercell produced no tornadoes while the other produced at least two. Outflow temperature deficits were similar for the two storms, both within the normal range for weakly tornadic supercells but somewhat cold relative to significantly tornadic supercells. The storms formed in a complex environment, with slightly higher storm-relative helicity near the tornadic supercell. The environment evolved significantly in time, with large thermodynamic changes and increases in storm-relative helicity, leading to conditions much more favorable for tornadogenesis. After a few hours, a new storm developed between the supercells, likely leading to the demise of the nontornadic supercell before it was able to experience the enhanced environmental conditions. Two tornadoes developed within the single mesocyclone of the other supercell. After the dissipation of the second tornado, rapid rearward motion of low- to midlevel circulations may have inhibited further tornado production in this storm.