SKYWARN Storm Spotter Guides Online

This module compiled with information courtesy of the official NOAA Storm Spotters Guide.

SECTION THREE:

As in the other sections, you can click on the glossary image wherever you see it, and the glossary will open in another window. Just close that window when you are ready to continue.

In this section, we will take a look at some of the tornadic related storm structure:

In these pictures we see three different wall clouds. These may or may not be rotating, but if you were there live, you would be able to see it.

Note how the wall cloud slopes up and away from the rain area. This is opposite of a shelf cloud which slopes down and out away from the rain. Remember this! Wall clouds typically slope up and away from the rain! Shelf clouds slope out and away from the rain! This is a common misidentification for the public and storm spotters alike!

Here we see a tornado has just developed. Although we cannot see what is going on at ground level here. Other spotters/chasers observing this from other vantage points were reporting damage on the ground later determined to be F1-F2 damage. This is a good example that there does NOT have to be a visible funnel all the way to the ground for damage to be occurring. It's also a good example of how multiple spotter/chaser reports can be very valuable. This tornado was on June 13, 1998 in Oklahoma City area.

Another good example from June 9, 1995 near Lugert, OK. Notice that although the tornado is rapidly filling with dirt, it is not complete visually all the way from funnel to ground. A visual connection is NOT necessary to have a tornado. A funnel cloud above with evidence of debris is all that is needed to confirm a tornado has formed.

Here we see another tornado in the mature stage. Note the RFD (Rear Flank Downdraft) wrapping in around the tornado. This drier air is eroding the cloud material creating a clear slot. Soon this will cut off the warm, moist air the tornado needs to survive and it will dissipate. Beware that in cyclic storms, a new wall cloud and circulation can develop to the right and just ahead of this old one. In purple we see the remainder of the wall cloud.

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