SGP2010VORTEX2

VORTEX2

1 May 2010 - 15 June 2010

Lead Scientist: Matthew Parker

Observatory: SGP (Southern Great Plains)

The purpose of VORTEX2 was to study tornadoes and the thunderstorms that produce them. Tornadoes are of great interest scientifically and have substantial societal impact. This field campaign aimed to improve our understanding and forecasting of these storms, and thereby mitigate the threats that they pose to life and property. The specific aims of the soundings component of VORTEX2 were 1) to assess how tornadic and non-tornadic thunderstorms interact with their surrounding environments; and, 2) to improve storm-scale numerical weather predication through an understanding of the importance of environmental variability in the vicinity of storms.