Features of the Raleigh Tornadic Storm Based on Analysis of Damage

Abstract

A computer model was devised to simulate damage patterns caused by a tornado. Results from this model were examined and compared to the actual damage. By manipulating the input values so the output graphs look similar to the actual damage, the magnitude and direction of the ambient wind, and the location of microbursts, could be estimated. The results suggest the tornado was accompanied by ambient winds of at least 20 m/s, and microbursts in all quadrants relative to the tornado motion except the left front quadrant. The results, as well as the distribution of the damage itself, suggest that the intensity of the damage was increased by the presence of microbursts interacting with the tornado.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1990
Accession Number
ADA231601

Entities

People

  • John T. Roth

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Birds
  • Computers
  • Doppler Radar
  • Flow Fields
  • Fluid Dynamics
  • Meteorology
  • North Carolina
  • Observation
  • Observers
  • Photographs
  • Sea Level
  • Students
  • Transportation
  • United States
  • Universities
  • Wind Direction

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics