NUCAPS Soundings over KRAH area

The NUCAPS sounding data was useful to assessing the environment in the KRAH area. The data did arrive a little later and it was not available to use at beginning of warning operation. However, I did look at a sounding within the region where storms were developing. The SNPP NUCAPS sounding indicated CAPE values 1500-2000 J/KG.

The experimental SNPP NUCAPS sounding (below right) had much higher CAPE, around 4,500 J/KG at 18z. 

 SPC mesoanalysis at the same time had CAPE around 3,500 J/KG which is closer to the experimental SNPP NUCAPS at 18z.

While the experimental NUCAPS may be a bit overdone, it did lead to a potential reason why the storms in RAH area did not sustain themselves. Shear values were much lower, meaning storms likely intensified and then quickly rained themselves out as shear was too weak to sustain the updrafts.

-Ironman