Tornadic thunderstorm Dodge City, Kansas May 7, 2002  Large cumulonimbus anvil stretches from Missouri into eastern Kansas  Cumulonimbus anvil seen in central & southeast Kansas  Cumulonimbus anvil seen in west central Texas  Large cumulonimbus anvil stretches from Missouri into eastern Kansas  Cumulonimbus anvil seen in central & southeast Kansas  Cumulonimbus anvil seen in west central Texas

Updrafts indicate cloud formation  Clouds move in from the northwest  Cumuluscongestus clouds form in parts of Kansas and Oklahoma  Clouds move in from the northwest  Cumuluscongestus clouds form in parts of Kansas and Oklahoma

Trough moves in from the west  Pool of cold air associated with closed low in Washington  knot wind seen over Kansas and Oklahoma  Deep layer shear over Kansas and Oklahoma favorable for tornados  Pool of cold air associated with closed low in Washington  knot wind seen over Kansas and Oklahoma  Deep layer shear over Kansas and Oklahoma favorable for tornados

Trough propagates south eastward  Trough axis extends from Idaho through parts of Nevada and California  knots over Oklahoma and Kansas indicate supercellular shear  Trough axis extends from Idaho through parts of Nevada and California  knots over Oklahoma and Kansas indicate supercellular shear

Explosive cape in Norman, Oklahoma  Veering of the winds indicate warm advection from surface to 500 mb  Shear vector on hodograph veers with height  Hodograph indicates splitting supercells  Veering of the winds indicate warm advection from surface to 500 mb  Shear vector on hodograph veers with height  Hodograph indicates splitting supercells

Hodograph at Topeka, Kansas  Strong veering of the winds from surface to 500 mb indicates warm advection  Shear vector on the hodograph veers with height  Right mover of splitting supercells explode  Strong veering of the winds from surface to 500 mb indicates warm advection  Shear vector on the hodograph veers with height  Right mover of splitting supercells explode

Radar for Oklahoma & Kansas  Thunderstorm splits in southeastern Kansas  Right mover intensifies  Left mover slightly weakens  Developing thunderstorm in central Kansas  Thunderstorm splits in southeastern Kansas  Right mover intensifies  Left mover slightly weakens  Developing thunderstorm in central Kansas

More radar for Oklahoma & Kansas  Thunderstorm explodes in southeastern Oklahoma  Another exploding thunderstorm in central Oklahoma  Deep red indicates heavy downpour of rain  Thunderstorm explodes in southeastern Oklahoma  Another exploding thunderstorm in central Oklahoma  Deep red indicates heavy downpour of rain

Subjective analysis of the surface  East of dryline, dark green indicates dewpoints > 70 deg C  Low pressure in Texas panhandle where a dryline, warm front, and stationary front extend from  East of dryline, dark green indicates dewpoints > 70 deg C  Low pressure in Texas panhandle where a dryline, warm front, and stationary front extend from