The 23rd Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology

P7B.21
TORNADO PRODUCTION BY EXITING TROPICAL CYCLONES

Roger Edwards, Norman, OK

Tornadoes associated with tropical cyclones that are moving back out to sea are uncommon but not unique. A brief climatology of exiting tropical cyclones and their tornadoes is presented, for the period 1950-1997, with emphasis on the most recent such event: Hurricane Danny (1997). The remnants of Danny (1997) spawned eight tornadoes in the Carolinas shortly before moving offshore, including a strong (F2 damage), fatal event near Gaston, SC. This was a difficult forecast problem, for Danny had weakened after making landfall on the central Gulf coast several days earlier and producing only two brief, weak tornadoes. It later intensified during a baroclinic interaction while maintaining some tropical characteristics, between its crossing of the Appalachians and its re-entry over water. Basic synoptic elements of this event are examined; and comparisons are made with other cases where exiting tropical cyclones spawned tornadoes

The 23rd Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology