NUCAPS Across Iowa and Surrounding Areas

Modified NUCAPS came in just as convection began to initiate today. Repeating what I said yesterday, I appreciate the update Jack made to adjust the surface values of all "green/passed QC" NUCAPS points using RTMA, even if the more intensive adjustment cannot be made. The failure of the more intensive adjustment for passed qc soundings is due to a lack of GOES surface temperature data due to low cloud cover.

Sampling NUCAPS soundings from the central portion of our CWA down through south of our CWA, you can see the trend of increasing moisture and instability. This trend is observed in the three soundings below. Looking at SBCAPE, values less than 500 j/kg in central Iowa increase to around 1500 j/kg in southern Iowa to 2300 j/kg. This general pattern verifies what SPC mesoanalysis is showing, and tells us that instability is increasing from the south to values that will support strong updrafts and development of severe weather.

Soundings in the area of early storm development indicate the -20C level around 20,500 ft. High reflectivity cores reaching this level will be relevant given this will be a preferred hail growth zone.

 

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- Bucky