ATMS120_Lab_6_SU23

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ATMS 120 Summer 2023 Name and NetID:_________________________________________ Lab #6: Mesoscale Convective Systems, Supercells, Hail and Tornadoes 75 points. Remember to turn in a picture of your iCard along with your submission. Part #1 – Wind Shear 10 points total Strong wind shear is a crucial ingredient for severe thunderstorm development. Wind shear is defined as the change in wind speed and direction with height. Supercell thunderstorms form most frequently on the Great Plains of the central US. The most common supercell wind profile exhibits southeasterly winds at the surface that strengthen and become westerly with altitude. The most common wind profile for a squall line (a.k.a. mesoscale convective system) is unidirectional, meaning that the wind speeds increase with height but the direction of the wind does not change with height. Five different wind profiles are below. Place a triangle around the letter beneath the most common supercell wind profile and place a circle around the letter beneath the most common MCS wind profile (2 point each) . Bulk wind shear is calculated by finding the vector difference between the winds at two different heights. Using the supercell wind profile you identified, calculate the 0-1 km and 0-6 km bulk wind shear values. This means we will find the difference between the surface wind (lowest wind barb on the sounding) and the speed of the wind at 1 km and 6 km. The atmospheric pressure at 1 km above sea level is typically very close to 850 mb. The pressure at 6 km above sea level is very close to 500 mb. Please calculate the 0-1 km and 0-6 km wind shear values in knots (kts). For simplicity, assume that the surface winds are due southeasterly, the 850 mb winds are due southerly, and the 500 mb winds are due westerly. Show your work- its not just subtraction!. (3 points each) 0-1 km shear value _________________ 0-6 km shear value _________________ © 2023 Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign 1

ATMS 120 Summer 2023 Part #2 Questions about Severe Storms 18 points total 1. Which type of thunderstorm is the largest in terms of size and area covered? Ordinary Thunderstorm, Mesoscale Convective System (MCS, squall line), or Supercell Thunderstorm 2. If a shelf cloud from an MCS were to pass over you, how does the temperature and wind speed change? 3. What is the most frequent type of damaging severe weather from thunderstorms? Straight Line Winds, Hail, or Tornadoes 4. Label the clouds types pictured below (indicated with arrows). a. ____________________ b. ____________________ c. ____________________ d. ____________________ e. ____________________ 5. Where is the safest place to be during a tornado warning? 6. Which is more threatening to life and property for the region in which it is issued – a severe thunderstorm watch or severe thunderstorm warning? 7. What is tornado alley? 8. List 4 problems with using the Fujita/Enhanced Fujita Scale to rank tornado strength. 9. “Weak” tornadoes account for ______% of all tornado reports and ______% of all tornado fatalities. “Violent” tornadoes account for ______% of all tornado reports and _____% of all tornado fatalities. 10. If a large, violent tornado is approaching your location and you are on an open roadway (with no strong or sturdy buildings nearby), what is the safest course of action? © 2023 Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign 2

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