May 9, 2006 - Radar Dipiction Anna to Westminster, TX Tornadic Thunderstorm

Courtesy of Craig Green - KV5E

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After seeing towering cumulus developing west of Sherman on visible satellite imagery, I left home around 7:15 PM to go take a look. I knew that conditions were favorable for severe thunderstorms, and even tornadoes. While driving north from Dallas on Highway 75 to Howe, Texas, I watched a thunderstorm explode from the towering cumulus into a servere thunderstorm. This storm produced large hail west of Sherman, Texas.

A flanking line of towering cumulus formed south of the big storm, developing into the Van Alstyne tornadic hail storm. Within minutes, another towering thunderhead developed south of this storm, which went on to become the tornadic thunderstorm that would move from Anna to north of Westminster, TX. Three deaths and at least ten serious injuries resulted from the tornado near Westminster. Two dozen homes were damaged or destroyed.

	Radar image at 0311Z, just before the tornado
	Radar image at 0321Z, about the time of the tornado on the north side of Anna
	Radar image as the first tornado dissipates, and before the second tornado
	Rdar image while the tornado approaches the north side of Westminster

	Velocity display at the same time as the previous image above
	Four panel display showing reflectivity and velocity displays