Remote Sensing of the Thermodynamic Precursors and Subsequent Tornado Vortex via Radiometer Observations: An EF-5 Case Study

On 20 May 2013, an EF-5 tornado lasting approximately 40 minutes left a wake of catastrophic damage 14 miles long across Moore, OK, resulting in 212 injuries and 24 fatalities. On this unfortunate day, a microwave thermodynamic profiler was collecting continuous real-time measurements of the atmospheric moisture and temperature characteristics on the roof of the National Weather Center in Norman, OK, 18 km from what would become the destructive tornado’s path. This study seeks to investigate the evolution of the thermodynamic conditions both prior to and during convective initiation with a focus on continuous measurements of forecast indices including CAPE and CIN, which are traditionally derived from twice-a-day radiosonde launch data. The research will also give a unique look into the tornado vortex as it passes directly through the field-of-view of the radiometer, giving insight into the thermodynamic characteristics of the vortex itself.