Articles | Volume 2, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-373-2021
https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-373-2021
Research article
 | 
28 Apr 2021
Research article |  | 28 Apr 2021

A dynamic and thermodynamic analysis of the 11 December 2017 tornadic supercell in the Highveld of South Africa

Lesetja E. Lekoloane, Mary-Jane M. Bopape, Tshifhiwa Gift Rambuwani, Thando Ndarana, Stephanie Landman, Puseletso Mofokeng, Morne Gijben, and Ngwako Mohale

Data sets

ERA5 reanalysis is in production H. Hersbach and D. Dee https://climate.copernicus.eu/climate-reanalysis

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Short summary
We analysed a tornadic supercell that tracked through the northern Highveld region of South Africa for 7 h. We found that atmospheric conditions were conducive for tornado-associated severe storms over the region. A 4.4 km resolution model run by the South African Weather Service was able to predict this supercell, including its timing. However, it underestimated its severity due to underestimations of other important factors necessary for real-world development of these kinds of storms.