The Carr Fire Vortex: A Case of Pyrotornadogenesis?
Abstract Radar and satellite observations document the evolution of a destructive fire‐generated vortex during the Carr fire on 26 July 2018 near Redding, California. The National Weather Service estimated that surface wind speeds in the vortex were in excess of 64 m/s, equivalent to an EF‐3 tornado...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2018-12-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL080667 |
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| author | N. P. Lareau N. J. Nauslar J. T. Abatzoglou |
| author_facet | N. P. Lareau N. J. Nauslar J. T. Abatzoglou |
| author_sort | N. P. Lareau |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Radar and satellite observations document the evolution of a destructive fire‐generated vortex during the Carr fire on 26 July 2018 near Redding, California. The National Weather Service estimated that surface wind speeds in the vortex were in excess of 64 m/s, equivalent to an EF‐3 tornado. Radar data show that the vortex formed within an antecedent region of cyclonic wind shear along the fire perimeter and immediately following rapid vertical development of the convective plume, which grew from 6 to 12 km aloft in just 15 min. The rapid plume development was linked to the release of moist instability in a pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb). As the cloud grew, the vortex intensified and ascended, eventually reaching an altitude of 5,200 m. The role of the pyroCb in concentrating near‐surface vorticity distinguishes this event from other fire‐generated vortices and suggests dynamical similarities to nonmesocyclonic tornadoes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-51dcb43e237249e5ae03a06e433bc283 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2018-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-51dcb43e237249e5ae03a06e433bc2832025-08-20T01:51:44ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072018-12-01452313,10713,11510.1029/2018GL080667The Carr Fire Vortex: A Case of Pyrotornadogenesis?N. P. Lareau0N. J. Nauslar1J. T. Abatzoglou2Department of Physics University of Nevada, Reno Reno NV USAStorm Prediction Center NCEP, NWS, NOAA Norman OK USADepartment of Geography University of Idaho Moscow ID USAAbstract Radar and satellite observations document the evolution of a destructive fire‐generated vortex during the Carr fire on 26 July 2018 near Redding, California. The National Weather Service estimated that surface wind speeds in the vortex were in excess of 64 m/s, equivalent to an EF‐3 tornado. Radar data show that the vortex formed within an antecedent region of cyclonic wind shear along the fire perimeter and immediately following rapid vertical development of the convective plume, which grew from 6 to 12 km aloft in just 15 min. The rapid plume development was linked to the release of moist instability in a pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb). As the cloud grew, the vortex intensified and ascended, eventually reaching an altitude of 5,200 m. The role of the pyroCb in concentrating near‐surface vorticity distinguishes this event from other fire‐generated vortices and suggests dynamical similarities to nonmesocyclonic tornadoes.https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL080667wildfire plumeswildfire vortexpyrotornadopyrocumulonimbustornadowildfire |
| spellingShingle | N. P. Lareau N. J. Nauslar J. T. Abatzoglou The Carr Fire Vortex: A Case of Pyrotornadogenesis? Geophysical Research Letters wildfire plumes wildfire vortex pyrotornado pyrocumulonimbus tornado wildfire |
| title | The Carr Fire Vortex: A Case of Pyrotornadogenesis? |
| title_full | The Carr Fire Vortex: A Case of Pyrotornadogenesis? |
| title_fullStr | The Carr Fire Vortex: A Case of Pyrotornadogenesis? |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Carr Fire Vortex: A Case of Pyrotornadogenesis? |
| title_short | The Carr Fire Vortex: A Case of Pyrotornadogenesis? |
| title_sort | carr fire vortex a case of pyrotornadogenesis |
| topic | wildfire plumes wildfire vortex pyrotornado pyrocumulonimbus tornado wildfire |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL080667 |
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