High-resolution full-scale measurements of thunderstorm outflow winds

• Two mobile Doppler radars are used to measure thunderstorm wind profiles.
• Dual-Doppler wind profiles compare well with sonic anemometer profiles.
• Mean and evolutionary thunderstorm wind profiles are documented for three events.
• Wind profile variability was greater near the gust front in two events.
• Event wind speed maxima were above 100 m in height in all three events studied.

Efforts to understand thunderstorm outflow winds have been ongoing for years in the wind engineering community given the design wind speed for regions away from the hurricane-prone coastline is governed by this phenomenon. These efforts have largely consisted of laboratory and numerical simulations using both impinging jets and thermodynamic-allowing models, while full-scale observations have remained fairly sparse. The limited body of research has illustrated significant differences between the mean characteristics of thunderstorm outflow winds and “standard” boundary layer winds, yet the evolution of the wind profiles remains poorly understood. Using high-resolution full-scale data collected with two mobile Doppler radars, this research provides a deeper understanding of the evolutionary characteristics of thunderstorm outflow winds and wind profile data. The unique scanning strategy that enables the collection of the dual-Doppler wind profiles also allows for the analysis of the vertical structure of the outflow. Three outflow events are investigated with particular emphasis place on the profile evolution and driving meteorology of each event.