Overnight Quasi-Linear Convective System Tornado Event for Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, and Adjacent Parts of Northeast Texas and Northwest Louisiana on 13–14 April 2018

The United States Air Force’s (USAF) 26th Operational Weather Squadron (26 OWS) has hazardous weather warning responsibility for approximately 150 Department of Defense locations stretching across the southern United States. USAF weather forecasters face a daunting challenge in that most customers require a 10-30 minute lead time for warnings of tornadoes and/or funnel clouds. Improving the detection and forecast accuracy of these storms, while maintaining sufficient lead time, will increase the confidence of military decision makers to take the necessary actions in order to save lives and protect millions of dollars in aircraft and other high value assets. This poster will focus on means to improve USAF tornado warning lead times by offering enhanced detection techniques for QLCS tornado signatures via a case study of this recent event and past research of QLCS tornadoes.