An Adaptive Thunderstorm Measurement Concept Using C-Band and X-Band Radar Data

This letter presents a proof of concept illustrating the possibility to integrate X-band radar scans of individual thunderstorm cells within an operational context of storm cells identification, tracking, and severity ranking performed by a long-range volume-scanning surveillance C-band radar network. The X-band radar performs adaptive 3-D scans of one automatically selected cell, i.e., the most intense storm cell within its domain, previously identified by the operational C-band radars. The scan aims to observe with high spatiotemporal resolution the core of the cell and the evolution of its vertical structure, providing a unique data set for microphysical and dynamical interpretations. The cells tracked with this method by the X-band radar can be characterized with a high spatiotemporal resolution, better with respect to the operational C-band measurements, as illustrated in the letter with a case study of a supercellular storm occurring in western Switzerland on June 7, 2015. This method is a valuable example of the potential added value of an X-band radar system of flexible scanning strategy, in addition to C-band operational measurements conducted with a fixed scanning protocol.