On the motion and interaction between left- and right-moving supercells on 4 May 2003

On 4 May 2003, supercell thunderstorms formed in eastern Oklahoma and eastern Kansas. A left-moving supercell, which formed in southeastern Oklahoma, interacted with a right mover as they crossed into southwestern Missouri. The right mover was tornadic before the interaction, but the tornado lifted shortly after the interaction, then formed again after the left mover passed.

Using satellite, sounding, profiler, surface, and radar data, this presentation will describe the anomalous motions of these supercells, and discuss their interaction and its effect on the right mover's tornadic potential. Several reasons why the merger may have disrupted the tornadic circulation of the right mover will be discussed. This case is important from a forecasting perspective because of the lack of studies addressing supercell mergers and their effect on tornadogenesis.