High-resolution, mobile Doppler radar observations of cyclic mesocyclogenesis in a supercell

On 15 May 2003, two ground-based, mobile, Doppler radars scanned a supercell that moved through the Texas Panhandle and cyclically produced mesocyclones. The two radars collected data from the storm during a rapid cyclic mesocyclogenesis stage and a more slowly-evolving tornadic period. A 3-cm wavelength radar (the UMass X-Pol radar) scanned the supercell continuously for a short time after it was cyclic but close to the time of tornadogenesis. A 5-cm wavelength radar (SMART Radar 1) scanned the supercell the entire time it exhibited cyclic behavior and for an additional 30 min after that. The ~90 min of volumetric data obtained with the 5-cm wavelength radar allowed for the individual circulations to be analyzed at multiple levels in the supercell. Various aspects of both the low- and mid-level circulations will be discussed including time series of their individual movements, storm-relative movements, diameters, and radial wind shear. In addition, observations from both mobile, Doppler radars will be used to assess the differences between the pre-tornadic circulations and the tornadic circulations. The results will be compared with other relevant studies of the cyclic mesocyclogenesis process.