Visible/IR blended imagery of enhanced V in AWIPS

The above image taken by the Amarillo, TX forecaster group shows multiple enhanced-V signatures on severe storms located in the TX panhandle at 0015 UTC in the visible. Blended on top in the IR brightness temperature image. These enhanced-V signatures, clearly observed on visible imagery near sunset, were not detected by the thermal couplet detection product because of the coarseness of the IR data. We can see the higher level cirrus above the main anvil, associated with the overshooting tops, possibly being the source of the warmer temperatures detected downstream of the overshooting top in the typical IR representation of an enhanced-V signature seen in case studies. Since the cirrus is associated with an overshooting top, which is likely penetrating into the lower stratosphere, the warmer stratospheric temperatures may be the cause of the warmer downstream temperatures.