VORTEX Communications Summary

In this summary, important information communicated over the VORTEX VHF frequency is summarized. A few vital transmissions are quoted.
All distances are in miles unless otherwise noted. Times in UTC.
[gap] indicates that NOAA-43 internal communications made it impossible to discern the VHF radio traffic.
Windspeeds and motions in knots.
Editor's comments are in parentheses ().

Note that there are many gaps in the record owing to internal communications onboard NOAA43. These are NOT noted in the log every time they occur.

Abbreviations:

BD      Blowing Dust
BWER	Bounded Weak-Echo Region
CG      Cloud-to-ground lightning
DV      Differential velocity observed on WSR-88D
FC      Field Coordinator
FM      Farm-to-Market road
GTG	Gate-To-Gate velocity differential on WSR-88D
MT	Radar-indicated maximum storm tops
N1      NSSL-1  (Mobile CLASS van 1-4)
N2      NSSL-2
N4      NSSL-4
N43     NOAA-43
N43I    NOAA-43 internal communication channel
RFB     Rain-Free Base
RFD	Rear-Flank Downdraft
R1..R2  R1 is OU radar teams, R2 is Mobile Radar
WC      Wall Cloud
P1..P9  PROBE1..PROBE9
88D	NEXRAD WSR-88D radar


 Time     Src   Communication
hhmmss

004040    P2    Funnel; definite WC
  4100    P2    Brief tornado at az 245; good WC
  4150    FC    Very low WC is 1E, 5S Briscoe; forecast to cross  
                FM1046 6 E Briscoe
  4225    P2    Condensation 1/2 way to ground.
  4240    R2    Tornado SW of Briscoe (different meso)
  4325    P2    WC az 245
  4355    N4    WC az 255 (est 6 mi)
  4435    P2    WC 240; rapid rotation
  4445    FC    88D showing meso 1 SE Briscoe (different meso)
  4500    ?     "Where's the damn tornado?"
  4535    FC    Large lowered base 6 SSE Briscoe
  4623    FC    88D shows meso near Briscoe
  4700    FC    Inflow has increased; now 35-40 kt
  4735    N43   Hook 6 SSE Briscoe
  4804    FC    Four hooks on 88D: 5-6 SSE Briscoe, over  
		Briscoe, W of
                New Mobeetie, and NW of the latter
  4819    P2    Lowered base with rapid rotation az 265
  4835    P2    At 551-112 tornado just touched down; lifted; az  
		260 deg
  4920    FC    Circ is 6-7 SW Allison, moving toward Allison
  4945    T2    WC; back edge at az 170
  5005    FC    Circ is +/- 2 miles from 6.5 due SW Allison;  
		moving NE
  5120    FC    RFD now on SE side of WC
  5130    FC    Very low WC 5 SW Allison
  5145    P3    Marble hail; strong N winds
  5214    P2    Large tornado just formed at az 290
  5239    P2    Tornado at az 300
  5247    FC    Tornado 4 SW Allison
  5300    T2    Wind 325/44
  5330    T2    Large tornado az 180
  5400    N43   Hook/asc w/tornado
  5405    FC    Tornado 4 SW Allison mvg NE
  5410    P2    Tornado az 315 from 545-112
  5425    P9    Tornado az 325
  5437    FC    Tornado is moving toward Allison from 225
  5454    P3    50 kt inflow sustained
  5505    FC    Tornado 3 SE of P3
  5532    T2    Tornado az 200
  5545    FC    Tornado 3 SW Allison
  5548    P2    At 553-112; Tornado az 335
  5617    FC    Tornado 2.5 SW Allison
  [gap]
  5706    FC    Tornado 1.5 SW Allison
  5730    N43   MT 19 km
  5804    FC    Tornado diameter >~ 1 mile; 1 SW Allison
  5828    P2    At 564-112; tornado az 350
  5850    T1    Tornado east from loc of 605-144
  5905    FC    Tornado forecast to cross 1 W Allison
  5945    FC    Tornado now moving north
  0015    FC    Tornado slowing
  0110    T1    Tornado az 070
  0130    FC    Tornado 1.5 WNW of Allison moving due N
  0205    T2    Tornado SW from loc 633-111
  0228    FC    Tornado 300/1.5 from Allison
  0235    C1    Tornado (south edge) over hiway to the east
  0240    FC    Tornado estimated to be > 1 mile diameter
  0250    P2    82 kt gust from west
  0300    N43   Donut-asc on hook (4 south of...) Allison
  0310    FC    Refutes above location
  0325    P3    Tornado just NE, with satellite subvortices  
                external to main tornado
  0340    FC    Tornado 1.5 NW of Allison
  0104    R2    Other tornadoes in existence vcnty Briscoe
  0450    R1    Tornado az 300 from west side of Allison;  
		roaring
  0515    P2    New funnel az 045 from 581-112 (reports  
		anticyclonic, but
                I suspect it was new cyclic cyclonic  
		development)
  0545    P2    Tornado az 350
  0645    P3    Tornado crossed 1.5 W of Allison; major damage
  0700    FC    New very low WC NE of Allison
  0740    C1    Tornado north (est 0.5 miles)
  0800    T2    Tornado SW (est 1-2 miles)
  0810    FC    Tornado nearly stationary
  0900    T2    Rain curtains have obscured the tornado
  1025    FC    Cancels operations owing to darkness.
      
	***************END OF COMM LOG ********************

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