Rapid-scan, polarimetric, Doppler-radar observations of tornadoes and rapidly evolving phenomena using RaXPol

RaXPol (Rapid X-band Polarimetric) (Pazmany et al. 2013, J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., in press), a rapid-scan, X-band, polarimetric, mobile Doppler first used in the spring of 2011, has documented volumetrically at high temporal and spatial resolution many rapidly evolving phenomena in the Southern Plains. In another presentation, the evolution of an EF-5 tornado near El Reno, Oklahoma on 24 May 2011 will be/has been presented. This presentation gives an overview of some of the other datasets we have collected in 2011, 2012, and 2013.

We will describe datasets collected in several tornadoes in central Kansas on 25 May 2012, a tornado in central Oklahoma on 29 May 2012, a tornado in northwest Texas on 30 May 2012, a hailstorm on 23 May 2011 that produced the largest hail ever documented in Oklahoma, a microburst in Norman on 14 June 2011, and a frontal passage with horizontal convective rolls and elevated convection on 9 April 2013. If any more interesting data are collected during spring 2013, we may substitute them for some of the aforementioned. Our emphasis will be on how studies will be conducted using the datasets collected by RaXPol and the potential for furthering our understanding of the physical processes responsible for the phenomena documented.