ANOTHER VIEW FROM TIROS I OF A SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION MAY 16, 1960

Abstract

On May 16, 1960, TIROS I televised a series of pictures over the central United States during a severe local storm situation. Comparisons are made between the location of the isolated, bright, cloud elements seen in those pictures and (1) the location of surface weather and synoptic features, (2) the location of sferics observations, and (3) the location of the upper-level jet maxima believed important in the development of severe local storm activity. Comparison is made of the cloud cover shown in the pictures to the cover indicated by the surface observations. Apparent brightness and cloud cover of the pictures is discussed in relation to both the weather activity occurring at the surface, and cloud types and cover observed at the surface. Also, cloud streets which appear in the photographs are discussed relative to the observed mind patterns and vertical temperature structure. Evidence is presented indicating that the severe local storm activity occurred beneath three bright mesoscale cloud masses?the more vigorous activity occurring beneath two masses which were largely isolated from the large-scale patterns. Further, the latter two clouds masses are shown to he correlated well ill location with sferics observations and jet stream maxima in the lower levels of the atmosphere