Unusual Tornadic Storms in Eastern Oklahoma on 5 December 1975

Abstract

Severe tornadoes caused much damage in eastern Oklahoma on 5 December 1975. Although synoptic conditions were favorable for tornadoes, the storms in eastern Oklahoma ahead of a strong dryline had no appearance of being tornadic when viewed on radar and on satellite photographs. This case and others like it indicate that dryline tornadic storms often have a unique structure which fails to fit the classic supercell model and results in a misleadingly weak appearance on radar (small, weak low-level echo without hook).