Date of Award
2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Atmospheric and Earth Science
Committee Chair
Lawrence Carey
Committee Member
Kevin Knupp
Committee Member
John Mecikalski
Research Advisor
Kevin Knupp
Subject(s)
Mesometeorology, Convection (Meteorology), Severe storms--Forecasting
Abstract
During the morning of 03 March 2023, a potent Quasi-Linear Convective System (QLCS) impacted northern Alabama, The QLCS was characterized by extremely High Shear and Low CAPE (HSLC), with CAPE below 500 Jkg-1 and 0-6 km wind shear approaching 49 ms-1. A total of 315 damaging straight-line wind reports were noted by the SPC, with the majority of those occurring across the southeastern US. This study examines the mesoscale variability in vertical wind profiles (VWPs) and storm-relative helicity (SRH), including documenting the presence of extreme shear and the variance in SRH magnitudes across northern AL. VWPs indicated that wind shear increased from the surface to 3 km AGL in the hours leading up to QLCS passage. Elevation and topography may play a role in SRH variability, as 0-3 km SRH at Hytop, AL approached 1,000 m2s-2, over 200 m2s-2 in magnitude greater than profilers within the Tennessee Valley.
Recommended Citation
Kiser, Caleb, "Internal kinematic structure and environment of an extremely high-shear, Low-CAPE QLCS across North Alabama on 03 March 2023" (2025). Theses. 766.
https://louis.uah.edu/uah-theses/766