VORTEX-SE Spring 2016 Experiment Field Catalog
17 November 2015
Event summary: Sub-severe QLCS passage over N Alabama. High shear, near-zero CAPE.
Deployment summary: Small-scale array of UAH platforms centered around the ARMOR radar in N-central Alabama.
23 December 2015
Event summary: Numerous significant tornadic supercells across N Mississippi, far NW Alabama, and S West through Middle Tennessee. Additional non-tornadic supercells across N-central Alabama.
Deployment summary: A few soundings from UAH, as well as profiler observations ahead of non-tornadic supercells in Huntsville metro area.
2 February 2016
Event summary: Significant supercell tornadoes west of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Non-tornadic supercell in N-central AL. Most of north Alabama featured poor air mass recovery due to advection of recycled cP air.
Deployment summary: UAH instrument operations across north-central Alabama.
23 February 2016
Event summary: Significant supercell tornadoes concentrated along the Gulf Coast, from New Orleans to Pensacola. A few weak supercellular tornadoes occurred as far northwest as NW Alabama (near Hackleburg).
Deployment summary: UAH instrument operations across northeast Alabama. Warm sector did not reach deployment domain.
1 March 2016 – VSE Spring 2016 Experiment Shakedown
Event summary: A couple of tornadoes occurred across central Alabama with transient supercellular structures, including an EF2 in the Birmingham metro area. North Alabama remained largely removed from the warm sector.
Deployment summary: Numerous VORTEX-SE 2016 spring experiment crews participated in a shakedown mission across northeast Alabama. Very little convection occurred within the domain, while stratiform precip was widespread.
Manuscripts and presentations related to this case:
Coleman et al. 2018 (EJSSM): Examines PBL heterogeneity associated with Birmingham metro tornadic storm.
13 March 2016 – VSE Spring 2016 Experiment IOP1
Event summary: Stable PBL dominated the deployment domain, owing to modified cP airmass advection during system passage. Stronger convection tied to the frontal passage after the end of operations did lead to a sub-tornadic vortex occurring in south Huntsville, captured by the UAH ARMOR radar. This vortex produced damage caused by max wind gusts estimated at 50-60 MPH.
Deployment summary: Full VORTEX-SE Spring 2016 experiment conducted across N-central and NW Alabama.
24 March 2016 – VSE Spring 2016 Experiment IOP2
Event summary: Gulf Coast MCS contaminated low-level water vapor return and mass fields across North Alabama.
Deployment summary: Full VORTEX-SE Spring 2016 experiment conducted across N-central and NW Alabama.
31 March 2016 – VSE Spring 2016 Experiment IOP3
Event summary: Top event of the Fall 2015 – Spring 2016 observing period. Numerous supercells across Mississippi, Alabama, and S Middle Tennessee. Supercells in deployment domain were initially non-tornadic prior to sundown. After sundown, supercells became embedded within widespread stratiform and weaker convection. An EF2 tornado occurred at Hartselle and Priceville, Alabama, in the SE portion of the operating domain. This tornado was extensively surveyed by NWS and VORTEX-SE personnel using multiple platforms, including multiple ground surveys, a manned aerial survey, and multiple UAV survey efforts.
Deployment summary: Full VORTEX-SE Spring 2016 experiment conducted across N-central and NW Alabama.
Manuscripts and presentations related to this case:
Lyza et al. 2016 (AMS Severe Local Storms Conf.): Detailed survey of the Hartselle-Priceville tornado.
Lyza et al. 2016 (AMS Severe Local Storms Conf.): Environmental evolution across N Alabama ahead of the EF2 tornado.
Murphy et al. 2016 (AMS Severe Local Storms Conf.): Overview of ULM sounding activities during the Spring 2016 experiment, with a focus on IOP3.
27 April 2016 – VSE Spring 2016 Experiment IOP4A
Event summary: Clear-air day across north Alabama.
Deployment summary: Full VORTEX-SE Spring 2016 experiment conducted across N-central and NW Alabama for clear-air PBL observations.
29 April 2016 – VSE Spring 2016 Experiment IOP4B
Event summary: Another event with poor PBL moisture quality in north Alabama owing to recycled cP airmass return. A weakening QLCS was observed in NW Alabama after it had produced severe wind in Mississippi and a mesovortex near the KGWX (Columbus, MS) WSR-88D.
Deployment summary: Full VORTEX-SE Spring 2016 experiment conducted across N-central and NW Alabama.
30 April 2016 – VSE Spring 2016 Experiment IOP4C
Event summary: At least six non-tornadic supercells occurred across north Alabama. One supercell was tornado-warned in the heart of the instrument domain across Lawrence, Limestone, and Madison Counties in N-central Alabama.
Deployment summary: Full VORTEX-SE Spring 2016 experiment conducted across N-central and NW Alabama.
Manuscripts and presentations related to this case:
Murphy et al. 2016 (AMS Severe Local Storms Conf.): Overview of ULM sounding activities during the Spring 2016 experiment, with a focus on IOP4C.
1 May 2016 – VSE Spring 2016 Experiment IOP4D
Event summary: Another PBL deployment across N-central Alabama. CI was observed in the domain.
Deployment summary: Full VORTEX-SE Spring 2016 experiment conducted across N-central Alabama, with a focus on PBL heterogeneity.
16 June 2016
Event summary: A severe QLCS was observed across north Alabama. A funnel cloud was observed from SWIRLL, and a path of EF0 damage was found by UAH personnel. ARMOR captured a curl and circulation in the vicinity of the damage.
Deployment summary: ARMOR and profiler observations from UAH. No mobile operations were conducted.