Tornado Weather Terms Glossary
Tornado weather terms glossary: CAPE, SRH, dry line, mesocyclone, and other meteorology terminology explained.
Key Terms
CAPE - Convective Available Potential Energy - measures atmospheric instability
SRH - Storm Relative Helicity - measures rotation potential
Wind shear - change of wind with altitude - key for tornadoes
Mesocyclone - rotating updraft in supercell
Wall cloud - rotating cloud lowering beneath mesocyclone
Hook echo - curved radar signature of tornado potential
More Terms
Dry line - moisture boundary important for storm development
Low-level jet - fast winds at low altitudes provide shear
Supercell - specific rotating thunderstorm type
Tornado Vortex Signature (TVS) - Doppler radar rotation signal
Debris signature - dual-pol radar detection
Anvil - flat top of thunderstorm
Warning Terminology
Tornado watch - conditions favorable
Tornado warning - tornado detected
Tornado emergency - confirmed violent tornado
PDS - Particularly Dangerous Situation
Storm Prediction Center (SPC) - NWS unit
WSR-88D - the NEXRAD radar network
Meteorology Terms
Convection - upward air movement
Instability - unstable atmospheric condition
Convergence - air coming together
Divergence - air spreading apart
Vorticity - rotation measurement
Sounding - vertical atmospheric profile
Radar Terms
Reflectivity - shows precipitation intensity
Doppler velocity - shows wind direction/speed
Dual-polarization - modern radar upgrade
Storm-relative velocity - filtered wind data
Base scan - lowest radar tilt
Range - distance from radar
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