An overview of RAMS tornado simulations

Since 1991 we have performed simulations of tornado genesis with the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS). These simulations have ranged from being very idealized, to actual case studies initialized horizontally homogeneously, to interactive-nested grid simulations initialized with synoptic and mesoscale data for actual cases. The mechanisms of tornado formation for these simulations have varied from case to case, with one tornado being generated aloft as a sub-mesocyclone-scale vortex and others being initiated near the ground but with varying mechanisms of genesis. We will compare and contrast the mechanisms of tornado formation for these simulations and synthesize the results into a conceptual model of tornado genesis in supercell storms.