CSWR - ROTATE 2005

ROTATE 2005
The main focus of ROTATE-2005 was obtaining extremely high resolution winds in the lowest levels of tornadoes, by deploying close to the tornadoes, as opposed the dual-Doppler deployments typical of past years.
Highlights of the ROTATE 2005 season included the interception, by the Tornado Intercept Vehicle (TIV), of a tornado near Jayton, TX on 12 June.
Click here for a PDF file describing and detailing the deployment locations of the TIV, as well as the DOW, during this tornado intercept.
Click here to view a map of the tornado tracks from this day.

07 May 2005: Mission to NW Oklahoma to target storms in NE Texas panhandle. Storms did not initiate. See map below for deployment.

11 May 2005: Mission to Western Kansas. Intercepted one storm near Garden City, KS after dark and collected Rapid-DOW supercell data in one brief weak tornado. See map below for deployment.

12 May 2005: Mission to southeastern Texas panhandle. Intercepted one supercell east of Silverton, TX and another east of South Plains, TX. Collected mobile single-Doppler data in two tornadoes. Rapid-DOW collected data in two supercell hooks. Radar data collection was coordinated with the UMASS X-band radar. See map below for deployment.

13 May 2005: Mission to western north Texas. Intercepted one supercell east of Paducah, TX. Collected mobile single-Doppler data in one tornado, and stationary single-Doppler in one weak and one strong tornado. TIV deployed north of one tornado. See map below for deployment.

18 May 2005: Mission to eastern Kansas. Observed initiation along and near cold front very late in the day. Storms were not supercellular. See map below for deployment.

21 May 2005: Mission to southeastern Nebraska. Strong storms did not initiate. See map below for deployment.

23 May 2005: Mission to northeastern Colorado. Storms initiated, but were multicellular in nature. See map below for deployment.

24 May 2005: Mission to northeastern Colorado. Intercepted a non-tornadic supercell north of Akron, CO. Collected single-Doppler data on this storm. Also collected single-Doppler data in a gustnado. See map below for deployment.

30 May 2005: Mission to northeastern New Mexico/southeastern Colorado. Intercepted several supercells and collected stationary single-Doppler data in two weak tornadoes. See map below for deployment.

31 May 2005: Mission to Texas Panhandle. Intercepted supercells. Collected data with rapid scan in hook. Other data collected in gustnadoes. No mesocyclone-rooted tornadoes observed, despite reports. See map below for deployment.

2 June 2005: Mission to southwestern Kansas. One storm formed and dissipated shortly thereafter. See map below for deployment.

3 June 2005: Mission to southwestern Oklahoma. Storms did not form in the target area. See map below for deployment.

4 June 2005: Mission to northeastern Kansas and northwestern Missouri. Intercepted storm that produced tornado near Hiawatha. Occasional mobile radar data collected in two tornadoes, but only one partially blocked stationary deployment with DOW3 near Hiawatha. See map below for deployment.

7 June 2005: Mission to south-central South Dakota. Intercepted an isolated supercell with DOW3 and collected data twice in hooks with Rapid-Scan DOW. Storm eventually interacted with other convection and became non-supercellular. Coordinated with UMASS X-Band radar. See map below for deployment.

9 June 2005: Mission to Kansas. Collected DOW3, Rapid-Scan and thermodynamic data in 3 or 4 tornadoes. Rapid-Scan and DOW3 data in 2 simultaneous strong tornadoes with contrasting low/high swirl structure southwest of Stockton, including genesis. Also collected data in weak tornado north of Ellis. Attempted coordination with UMASS X-Band radar southwest of Stockton. See map below for deployment.

11 June 2005: Mission to Texas panhandle. Intercepted supercell and collected Rapid-Scan DOW and DOW3 data in 3 weak tornadoes. Tornadoes had condensation funnels to the ground, but DOW-measured velocities were < 40 m/s near the ground. See map below for deployment.

12 June 2005: Mission to west central Texas. Intercepted two supercells and collected Rapid-Scan DOW and DOW3 data in several strong tornadoes near Jayton. TIV collected in situ film,HD video, T/RH/Wind data in one tornado under DOW radar coverage. DOWs collected simultaneous data with TTU mesonets and Samaras turtles. Coordinated with UMASS radar team on 2nd supercell, but no tornado intercepts. See map below for deployment.

15 June 2005: Mission to Kansas. Intercepted a supercell and collected Rapid-Scan DOW and DOW3 data in one tornado near Trego Center.

16 June 2005: Mission to SW Kansas. Intercepted supercells and collected mobile DOW3 data...but not in tornadoes. Also collected hail on windshields.

19 June 2005: Mission to SE North Dakota. Storms did not initiate in target region before sunset.

20 June 2005: Mission to SE South Dakota. Intercepted very symmetric splitting supercell south of Huron, South Dakota with counterrotating mesocyclones. Collected DOW and Rapid-Scan DOW data in supercell.

Map of all ROTATE-2005 missions (through 12 June)

The following is a location of mesocyclone-associated tornadoes in which data were collected by ROTATE-2005 (through 12 June)(excludes landspouts, gustnadoes, multiple-"touchdowns" of the same tornado, and the like, as well as events in which radar data were not collected)

This page is still under construction - check back soon for more information!