The Behavior of a Giant-Hail-Producing Supercell in Oklahoma on 23 May 2011 Using Data from Four Doppler Radars

Dual-polarization radar observations are valuable for identifying the location and evolution of hail in supercells. This study presents an analysis of a supercell that produced remarkably large hail (6 inches in diameter, setting a state record for Oklahoma) on 23 May 2011 in the southwestern part of the state. This analysis uses data from three X-band, ground-based, mobile Doppler radars – MWR-05XP, NOXP, and RaXPol – positioned generally to the southeast of the storm’s updraft in close proximity to each other in addition to observations from a nearby WSR-88D radar located in Frederick, Oklahoma. Of the four radars, all but the MR-05XP had polarimetric capabilities, while the MWR-05XP had rapid-scan, hybrid, phased-array technology.

The investigation provides an in-depth examination of the storm's evolution, combining data analyses from all three mobile radars and the stationary WSR-88D radar. The results of multi-Doppler wind analyses, vertical velocity comparisons, and preliminary findings from dual-frequency analyses and hydrometeor classification will be presented. The main goal of this study is to contribute to an improved understanding of the transformation of hydrometeors, particularly hail, from their initial generation within the updraft to their eventual descent to the ground in an historic storm. A secondary goal is to document a failed attempt at tornadogenesis that was associated with a funnel cloud and examine why a tornado did not form.