Investigating Tornado Genesis Events Within the ARMOR Domain

Celebrating ten years of service within the meteorological community in 2015, ARMOR radar has provided significant, detailed study of tornado genesis in northern Alabama, southern middle Tennessee, and northwestern Georgia. Located in a region of diversified storm mode tendency, research has shown that total tornado storm mode distribution is nearly evenly divided between Quasi-Linear Convective Systems (QLCS's) and supercell storm events. Such a distribution has allowed for the investigation of potential dynamic effects such as the Afternoon to Evening Transition (AET), as well as significant influences from isallobaric flow during periods of cyclogenesis. It is for these reasons and others that distinguishes the region from the tornado climatology of the traditional tornado alley located in the American Great Plains. Furthermore, at least partially due to the aforementioned meteorological factors, a notable percentage of strong and violent tornadoes have occured during the late night and early morning hours in the Tennessee Valley. In some instances, under forecasted violent tornadoes took the region by surprise, well after the brunt of the severe storm event was anticipated to have concluded. The main focus of this investigation is on the AET to nocturnal period, examining detailed characteristics of the boundary layer and its evolution during this time.