VORTEX95: How Tall is a Tornado?

Shown in the above image is radar reflectivity through a section of the supercell. Reflectivity values are relatively low near the aircraft (around -15 dBZ; blue colors), and are on the order of +55 dBZ on either side of the tornado/updraft region. In the center of the updraft region, reflectivites show a local minimum. Further distinction between tornados, mesoscale cyclone, and updraft region (and specifically, the answer to the question "how tall is a tornado?") will depend upon results of multiple Doppler analysis. [In this image, radar range rings are at 10 km intervals, with echo tops above an altitude of 15 km. The ELECTRA aircraft was flying at an altitude of just over 1 km.]

The tornado associated with this storm is referred to by VORTEX investigators as the Friona/Dimmitt Tornado, variously estimated as an F3 to F4, or possibly more. A tornado from this same storm (the same tornado??) has also been imaged by Dr. Josh Wurman's Doppler on Wheels, a joint product of U of Ok, NCAR RSF, and NOAA.

For additional ELDORA images, with panels for aircraft-relative velocity and velocity spectrum width, click on the links, below:

• 02-Jun-95 23:57:45, Tail-Aft
• 02-Jun-95 23:57:51, Tail-Aft
• 02-Jun-95 23:58:00, Tail-Aft