Kinematic analysis of a bow echo/tornadic supercell complex during the 17 June 2010 Minnesota tornado outbreak

On 17 June 2010 a cold front moving through the upper-Mid-West triggered numerous convective cells, many of which grew into tornadic supercell thunderstorms across Minnesota. At least 25 tornadoes were reported in the state during the event. Two mobile C-band SMART radars were deployed 29 km apart along the Iowa-Minnesota border and observed the late stages of two of the tornadic supercells, one of which was undergoing a transformation to a bow echo during this period. Single-Doppler observations of five tornadoes and dual-Doppler observations of one of the tornadoes were collected. In this study, we focus on kinematic analysis of the two convective cells with emphasis on the evolution of the rear-flank downdraft and low-level rotation during the period 0100-0130 UTC. Changes in the strength of the circulation due to interaction between the eastern supercell and the advancing bow echo to its immediate west are examined and related to the damage reports in the national archive.