Dual-Doppler and thermodynamic analysis of a non-tornadic severe storm merger observed on 11 June 2009 during VORTEX2

DOW6 and DOW7, Sticknet, mesonet, sounding and NOXP (dual-polarization) data collected during in the merger of 2 non-tornadic supercells on 11 June 2009 during VORTEX2 are analyzed to study processes that resulted in large hail and damaging straight-line winds, but no tornadoes. Approximately 30 minutes of fine-scale dual-Doppler data are used to derive the 3D wind structure, horizontal and vertical vorticity, and perturbation pressure. Trajectory calculations of the parcels comprising the gust fronts and buoyancy calculations from the dual-Doppler analyses also will be presented. Proximal sounding and surface data are used to assess of the local environment and the relative temperature/buoyancy of storm(s) to their environment. Particular focus is on the merger of the gust fronts.