Extended Abstract (556K)P11.1
Using a GIS to compare the May 3, 1999 Oklahoma City tornado damage path to WSR-88D signatures
Valerie K. McCoy, NOAA/NSSL, Norman, OK; and G. J. Stumpf
Damage survey information from the 3 May 1999 F5 tornado that struck the Oklahoma City metropolitan area were digitized into a Geographic Information System (GIS; Arcview). The damage survey coverage consisted of Contours of the Fujita-scale of the damage intensity from F0/F1 to F5. WSR-88D data from the Twin Lakes OK (KTLX) location were also converted into Arcview coverages.
We use the GIS to compare the tornado damage path to the three-dimensional radar vortex signatures observed in the KTLX data. We will illustrate the offset between the damage path and low-altitude mesocyclone path, the differences in the width of two paths along the entire distance, and the vortex tilt with height. Operational implications will be discussed.
Poster Session 11, Tornadic Storms
Thursday, 15 August 2002, 3:00 PM-4:30 PM
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