1. Kansas Severe Thunderstorm Outbreak May 7, 2002 Christopher Medjber Meteorology 503 Department of Geosciences SFSU Christopher Medjber Meteorology 503 Department of Geosciences SFSU

2. Severe Thunderstorm Outbreak On May 7, 2002 large supercell thunderstorms hit southern Kansas. Here we will present the analysis of the synoptic, thermodynamic, and shear environments that lead to this deadly weather activity.

3. 500 mb Chart for May 7, 2002 -Upper level trough moving into the western-half of the U.S. -Winds aloft out of the SW are nearly pendicular to winds from Gulf -Upper level trough moving into the western-half of the U.S. -Winds aloft out of the SW are nearly pendicular to winds from Gulf

4. Surface Analysis for May 7, 2002 -Low pressure system in SW Colorado -Warm front over the Kansas -Cold front in New Mexico -High dewpoints over southern plains -- favorable conditions for buoyant updrafts -Low pressure system in SW Colorado -Warm front over the Kansas -Cold front in New Mexico -High dewpoints over southern plains -- favorable conditions for buoyant updrafts

5. KOUN sounding for 00Z -Favorable for severe weather -CAPE: 4161 J/kg -CINH: -1 J/kg -Veering winds with height (hook hodograph) -0-6 km Shear: 49 kts -0-3 km Helicity: m^2/s^2 -Favorable for severe weather -CAPE: 4161 J/kg -CINH: -1 J/kg -Veering winds with height (hook hodograph) -0-6 km Shear: 49 kts -0-3 km Helicity: m^2/s^2

6. KTOP sounding for 00Z -Not favorable for severe weather -CAPE: 8 J/kg -CINH: -747 J/kg -Veering winds with height (hook hodograph) -0-6 km Shear: 69 kts -0-3 km Helicity: 690 m^2/s^2 -Not favorable for severe weather -CAPE: 8 J/kg -CINH: -747 J/kg -Veering winds with height (hook hodograph) -0-6 km Shear: 69 kts -0-3 km Helicity: 690 m^2/s^2

7. 0-3 km Storm Relative Helicity for May 7, 2002 -Favorable low level shear environment -Favorable low level shear environment

8. Visible Satellite Imagery -May 7, 2002 2145Z -May 7, 2002 2315Z Developing Thunderstorm with Overshooting Cloud-top Anvils

9. Radar Imagery Splitting Supercell with the left-mover weakening and the right- mover intensifying developing a hook echo Radar for May 7, 2002 6:37 pm ETRadar for May 7, 2002 7:07 pm ET

10. SPC Storm Watches and Warnings for the afternoon of May 7, 2002

11. SPC Storm Reports for May 7, 2002

12. Findings -Found favorable synoptic, thermodynamic, and shear environments for supercell thunderstorm activity -In that environment supercell thunderstorms did develop in southern Kansas producing large hail, high winds, and tornadoes -Found favorable synoptic, thermodynamic, and shear environments for supercell thunderstorm activity -In that environment supercell thunderstorms did develop in southern Kansas producing large hail, high winds, and tornadoes