Areas of Extreme Heat and Fire Weather in the Pacific Northwest; Heavy Rain in the West and South-central US

Extreme heat will continue across the Pacific Northwest into midweek before finally waning. Hot temperatures, dry, gusty conditions, and isolated dry thunderstorms will bring critical fire weather. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected across portions of the Southwest, the Sierras, and the central/southern Plains. A series of storms will bring heavy rain and strong winds to southern Alaska. Read More >

February 2, 1998 Doppler Radar Images

Doppler Radar Hook echo

The above radar reflectivity image was taken from the Key West (KBYX) Doppler radar at 6:01 pm February 2, 1998. A well-defined hook echo (radar tornadic signature) is clearly visible over the Florida Straits south of Big Pine Key. Also noteworthy are the large number of strong to severe thunderstorm cells from south of Key West north northeast across the southeast Gulf of America to near the Florida mainland.

In the velocity image below taken at the same time as the reflectivity image, a TVS (Tornado Vortex Signature) is noted clearly associated with the hook echo observed on the reflectivity image above. The radar identified this thunderstorm cell as "T9", and its value parameters as well as those of another thunderstorm cell, identified as "G6", can be found at the top of the image. "T9" was at an azran (azimuth-range) of 128/26 (128 degrees at 26NM) from the Key West radar. This cell may have been a borderline F3 intensity tornadic waterspout (it weakened some before moving across the Middle Keys and producing moderate damage). Cell "G6", 190/13 from the radar, may have been even stronger but it fortunately passed between Key West and the Marquesas Keys. Miami issued a Tornado Warning for the lower and middle Keys effective from 6:00 pm until 7:05 pm.

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Areas of Extreme Heat and Fire Weather in the Pacific Northwest; Heavy Rain in the West and South-central US

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