A Tale of Two Storms From OCTANE, LightningCast, and GREMLIN

 

 

This is an interesting comparison of two storms that show two initially different satellite and LightningCast signals that produce very different results on radar. The southern cell shows an initially much more consistent cloud top divergence signal from OCTANE with a more robust looking anvil shield and an above anvil cirrus plume. That aside, the northern storm consistently had a higher probability of >10 GLM flashes from LightningCast and eventually developed a far stronger radar signature and eventual severe thunderstorm. The southern storm struggled to even develop a 40 dBZ core. The animation below shows the same progression but with the OCTANE speed and direction RGBs. In this case if a severe decision was to be made with just the satellite presentation, the wrong decision may have been made (at least initially).

-Joaq

 

Finally, here is how GREMLIN handled the southern storm, which it understandably initially intruduced high reflectivity to the southern storm.

-Joaq

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