The Hurricane-Tornado
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July 1965 John S. Smith 453 THEHURRICANE-TORNADO JOHN S. SMITH Weather Bureau Forecast Center, Chicago, 111. ABSTRACT Climatological data in recent years have become sufficient for the further study of tornadoes which occur in hurricane systems. Several characteristics of the hurricane tornado are determined from data for an 8-yr. period by plotting the center positions of each hurricane and its associated tornadoes. The data show: (1) a comparison betweenhurricane and non-hurricane tornadoes; (2) a “Significant Sector” fortornado-genesis; (3) a “Preferred Quadrant” of the hurricane for tornado-genesis; (4) the mostfavorable time of dayfor tornado occurrence; (5) tornado frequencies with,respect to various speeds and distances of the hurricane on and off shore; (6) a tenative hurricane model. 1. INTRODUCTION the “Preferred Quadrant.” Other significant patterns are established from the relationship of the tornado to the Although considerable research has been done on the hurricane. forecasting problemspresented byboth tornadoes and hurricanes, relatively little investigation has been made 2. GENERALCLIMATOLOGY intothe forecasting problems of tornadoesassociated with hurricanes. In this study of the hurricane-tornado Of 15 hurricanes that entered the United States from problem,a climatological analysishas been made by the Gulf of Mexico andthrough the Atlantic Coastal plottingthe center position of eachhurricane and its States, 11 produced tornadoes. Atotal of 98 tornadoes associated tornadoes. was produced during the period from hurricane Connie in August 1955, to hurricane Carla in September 1961. Of Recognition of hurricane tornadoes prior to 1955 was the hurricanes producing tornadoes, the average number apparently limited-unless therehas beensuddena of tornadoes per hurricane is 9, although hurricanes Audrey rash of hurricane-tornadoesin recent years, for since and Carla spawned more than 20 tornadoes each. 1955, the number of tornadoes reported with hurricanes Hurricane paths from the timeof occurrence of the first hasmore than tripled. It is likely thatthe reporting known to the last known tornado produced by the hur- system has improved rather than that there has been an ricane are plotted in figure l. The geographical location actual increase inthe number of hurricane-tornadoes. of thesetornadoes is shown in figure 2. These figures Data previous to 1955 weretherefore considered in- show that hurricanes moved inland wjth greater frequency sufficiently complete tobe included inthe study. through the Gdf Coast States than through the Atlantic The data sources used were the US. Weather Bureau Coast States and that tornadoes occurred in greater num- records [5, 6, 71. The criteria for inclusion in this study ber in the Gulf Coast States than in the Atlantic Coast were: (1) thetornado occurredwithin the cyclonic States. Of the tornadoes produced by these hurricanes, circulation of the hurricane; (2) some type of verification waspossible. the greater number was produced by the Gulf Coast hur- ricanes (see Appendix). In early studies, only brief statements were made with By States, Alabama ranks first with 20 hurricane-tor- thelimited data sample that wasavailable. In one of nadoes. Texasand Louisiana are second with 14 each. the earliest studies, Mitchell [l] stated that the right-rear The northern andwestern limitsof the hurricane-tornadoes quarter of thehurricane produced themost tornadoes. are Vermont and Oklahoma. The southern and eastern As the data sample increased, Dunn [2] concluded that limits are unknown, but they havebeen reported in Cuba sufficientinformation was notavailable to designate and the Bahamas[2]. which quadrant of thehurricane produced themost Table 1 shows that tornadoes occurred in all the months tornadoes. Malkin and Galway [3] stated that tornadoes of the hurricaneseason in 1955-1961, and that theseasonal had been observed only in the forward semicircle of the hurricane. As the data sample increased (tripled), more definite patterns developed and the previous remarks can now be TABLE1.-Monthly distribution of hurricanes and tornadoes during adjusted. It will be shown that an area of greatest con- the hurricane season, 1955-1961 centration of tornadoes within a hurricane can be deline- June July August September October ated.This area will be called the “Significant Sector.” It will also be shown that one quadrant of the hurricane Hurricanes.-. -... - - - 1 2 2 5 1 Tornadoes____ ~ __._...... 23 16 8 50 1 has more tornadoes than the others and thiswill be called Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/30/21 06:08 AM UTC 454 REVIEWWEATHER MONTHLY Vol. 93, No. 7 3. TORNADOCOMPARISONS In comparing hurricane and non-hurricane tornadoes, it is notedthat thenon-hurricane tornado is approximately twice as large in path length and width. Because of the conditions within a hurricane,less than half of the tornado reports included details on path length, width,direction of movement or relatedstatistics; however, thestatistics that were availableare worth noting and comparing althoughthey may changewith improved andmore numerous data. Based on 35 reports, the hurricane- tornado traveled on the ground an average distance of 7.6 mi. and had an average widthof 97 yd. The non-hurricane tornado had anaverage path lengthof 16 mi. on the ground [SI and an average width of 250 yd. [9]. The largest reported dimensions of a hurricane-tornado were alength of 35 mi.and awidth of 800 yd. These figures are an order of magnitude smaller than the largest for the non-hurricane tornado [SI. The mly apparent similarity in thestatistics of the two types of tornadoes is theirdirection of travel. The predominant direction of travel for both types was to the FIGURE1.-Approximate paths of hurricanes during the occurrence northeast (8-point scale). The second mostfrequent, of associated tornadoes, 1955-1962. Date-time groups are to the direction of movement was tothe northwest forthe nearest 6-hr. synoptic map time. hurricane-tornado as compared to an eastward direction for the non-hurricanetornado. Hailstorms reported within the vicinity of the hurricane tornadoes were rare (7 cases), but it is interesting to note that all 7 cases occurredin the right quadrants of the hurricane. Some of the hurricane centers were over land and some over sea during the occurrence of hail. The size of the hailstones ranged from gin. in diameter to thesize of golfballs. Duration of the hailstormsvaried from a few minutes to half an hour (see Appendix). 4. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HURRICANE TORNADO Spatial distribution of tornadoes associated with hur- ricanes is shown in figure 3. Distance from tornadooccur- rence tothe hurricane center was measuredfrom the location of the tornado to the hurricane’s center position at the synoptic time nearest to the time of the tornado. Quadrants were determined by the direction of the hur- ricane’smotion duringthe time of tornado occurrence. The hurricanecenter positions at synopticobservation times were considered to be more accurate and consistent than center positions given by hourly sources. The most significant information revealed by figure 3 ist,he high concentration of tornadoes (55 tornadoes- 56 percent of the cases) in the area between the radii at FIGURE2.-Known hurricane tornadoes from1955 to 1962. 30’ and 120’ from the path of the hurricane’s movement Dashed line is path of the tornado-producing hurricane model. and 100 mi. to 250 mi. from the hurricane center. This area will be referred to as the “Significant Sector” of the hurrica.ne. The SignificantSector contained the largest maximumoccurred during themonth of September. number of tornadoeswhether the hurricanecenter was Five hurricanes spawned 50 tornadoes during this month. over land or sea. Of the tornadoes within this area, 61 The seasonal minimum occurred in the month of October percent occurred when the hurricane centerwas over land. with one hurricane producing only one tornado. By quadrants, the maximum number (46 tornadoes- Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/30/21 06:08 AM UTC July 1965 John S. Smith 45 5 PATH OF HURRICANE MOVEMENT PATHOF HURRICANEMOVEMENT LEFT FRONT RIGHT FRONT LEFT FRONTOUADRANTLEFT RIGHTOUADRANT FRONT QUADRANT QUADRANT M ,” LEFTQUADRANT REAR RIGHTQUADRANT REAR FIGURE4.-Each quadrant’s tornadoes are plotted into four 6-hr. EYE Positions ” O time periods (alternateshaded areas). Distances of tornadoes I Over Land e are estimated in the unknown-time sectors. Time is OMT. 93 Tornodoes plotted. 5occurred beyond ihe 400-mile rodius FIGURE3.-Tornadoes associated with hurricanes (1955-1962) with reference to center and direction of movement of the hurricanes. rant’s tornadoes were plotted into four 6-hr. time sectors Hurricane center positions at sea and over land are shownby open (fig. 4) to determine the most favorable time period per and solid circles respectively. Range marks are 50 n. mi. apart. “Significant Sector” (shadedarea) contains 56percent of the quadrant.The time sectors marked “unknown”were tornadoes. used when tornadoobservation times were reported as late afternoon, etc. Distances from tornado to hurricane center were estimated from the tornado location to the 51 percent) occurred inthe right-front quadrant. This nearest 6-hr. position of the hurricane. quadrant is therefore designated at the“Preferred Optimum time frequency per quadrant is most clearly Quadrant.”Fifty percent of thetornadoes in the Pre- defined bythe cluster of tornadoesin the right rear ferredQuadrant occured duringthe hurricane’s, move- quadrant between