An Examination of a Tornadic Mesocyclone Associated with Tropical Storm Mitch in the Upper Keys of Florida

During the late afternoon of 4 November and early morning 5 November 1998, Tropical Storm Mitch produced several well-developed mesocyclones one of which spawned a damaging F2 tornado in Florida’s Upper Keys. There were a total of six tornadoes, all of which occurred in the right-front quadrant of the storm. This paper examines one of these tornadic mesocyclones using the Radar and Analysis Display System (RADS) and algorithmic output trends from NSSL’s WSR-88D Algorithmic Testing and Display System (WATADS). Radar signatures resembling supercells of the Great Plains are shown and discussed. These include common features such as hook appendages and inflow notches. Algorithmic output trend tables revealed sharply increased low-level shear values and rotational velocities around the time of a tornado. These severe events occurring in a deeply moist adiabatic environment with relatively low CAPE.