An analysis of NSSL WDSS circulation parameters during 1999–2000 tornado events in the NWS Jackson, Mississippi, county warning area

The Jackson, MS National Weather Service (NWS) forecast office utilizes data from three WSR-88D radars in their warning and forecast operations. The National Severe Storms Laboratory's (NSSL) Warning Decision Support system (WDSS) has become the primary method of analyzing this datastream. WDSS provides, through several algorithms, many parameters to the forecaster which enhance the analysis of convection and assist in the warning process. In order to better utilize data provided by the WDSS Mesocyclone Detection Algorithm (MDA), several parameters from this algorithm were analyzed from a collection of severe weather events in the Jackson County Warning Area (CWA) during the past two severe weather seasons. Statiscal analyses of these parameters are being undertaken in an effort to find trends which might indicate improved warnings for tornadoes. The results of these analyses will be presented, along with implications they have for the warning processes.