Storm Scale Dynamics of the 11 July 2011 Central Iowa Superbow

Damaging wind associated with deep convection continues to be a very challenging severe weather element to accurately forecast. Algorithms to predict maximum wind speed from real-time WSR-88D data are not available to forecasters. In addition, convection allowing models exhibit a varying degree of skill in identifying the potential for damaging winds from thunderstorms. This research focuses on examining the evolution of one particular extreme convective wind event, from observational and high resolution model simulation perspectives. On 11 June 2011, a nocturnal mesoscale convective system developed in eastern Nebraska, and intensified as it moved across central Iowa. This system produced straight-line wind that was estimated in excess of 40 ms-1 based on the observed damage. This damage matched doppler radar measurements, which were 40-50 ms-1 in the at the lowest elevation scan. This research focuses on the near storm environment and radar signatures associated with this event. In addition, Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model simulations are used to investigate the relationship between the storm scale dynamics of the rear inflow jet and bookend vortex.