Research purpose:
The purpose of this research was to identify the reason that a tornado did not form within the supercell that passed over Greeley, Colorado on June 19th, 2018.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
-Why was tornadogenesis absent in this thunderstorm?
-Why did the thunderstorm form when and where it did?
-Why did the thunderstorm form when and where it did?
This Website in a Summary:
The purpose of this research project was to determine why tornadogenesis did not occur in the supercell thunderstorm that passed over Greeley, Colorado on June 19th, 2018. This storm showed signs that a tornado may be present, with a hook echo apparent on radar. In order to determine why the storm formed when and where it did, upper-air analysis maps, surface maps, radar data, other meteorological diagrams, and weather model data were all analyzed. Analysis showed that all factors required for a severe thunderstorm were present on our case study date. Moisture was provided from two sources: one being the Gulf of Mexico as air travelled upslope into the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, and the other being the East Pacific, as moisture was transported with westerly winds near the 700 mb level. Surface heating from the day provided atmospheric instability, and there was upper-level support for upward vertical motion indicated at the 500 mb and 250 mb levels. There was sufficient wind shear for thunderstorm formation, shown by radiosonde data. The cause of absence of tornadogenesis is unknown without further research.