Unnamed storm feature?

[Mike Hollingshead]

While messing around with the site I noticed something about a certain storm feature. It is an inflow band that stretches southeast from the southeast side of an updraft base. I've been aware of the feature for long enough but never stopped to notice just how rare it is. I can only think of two storms I've seen with the feature. Both below:

November 12, 2005 in central IA. Image taken just seconds after the tornado hit Woodward IA.

Video capture from July 12, 2004 in central NE from that big 65,000-70,000 foot tall tornadic supercell while it had a large rain-wrapped tornado.

I saw that kind of inflow band form twice on the July 12, 2004 day. Outside those two storms I can't think of or find one other storm I've seen with it.

I looked in the big Storm Talk book(OLD Version....223 page) I have and can't find a specific name for this inflow band(other than calling it an "inflow band"). If a beaver tail has its own name and so does a tail cloud(both inflow features), I think this more rare feature should as well. But, maybe I'm just missing it somewhere and it already has a name more specific than "inflow band".

If no one can find a specific name for this I say stormtrack coins it. This isn't the flanking line just trending down either. The flanking line on both of these curls back sw a bit and this inflow band branches off the updraft base and points se.

This image shows some inflow bands more in the mid-levels of the storm. On the drawings in the book it looks like the cloud tubes are what come off of those as they trail away from the storm. It basically doesn't seem to name those mid-level inflow bands either. But, you can call those mid-level bands and be good to go, I'd think.

I just don't see anything showing the se pointing inflow band attached to the storm base, nor a name for such a thing.

Thoughts? Maybe I'm missing a name.

 

[Shane Adams]

You killed my theory...I was gonna say 'flanking line."

However, while we're on the subject, I did witness a storm feature unlike anything I've seen since. The date was May 1, 1997. The southwest flank of the storm extended outwards to the southwest forever...much like a "beaver tail" but it extended outward to the southwest, making it a flanking line, not inflow.

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

I bet the vets will say they coined it "Feeder Bands" already. I wasn't sure if that was supposed to mean the same as all "Inflow Bands" because in the book it says that, "Same as Inflow Bands".

In the book for Feeder Bands it says, lines or bands of low-level clouds taht feed into the cloud base of a thunderstorm, usually from the south and/or east side.

Hmmm, I suppose that is the name for them then.

Now I'm wondering how rare they even are as feeder bands is common enough. Anyone have any examples of one like the above ones?

 

[Aaron Kennedy]

I've seen them a fair amount of times.... 5 June 2005 comes to mind:
http://ww2.convectionconnection.com:8080/C...05/img_2727.htm

Hit next 3 more times... the first picture is looking nearly due west.

Aaron

 

[Bobby Eddins]

I think they are just known as "feeder bands" but when there's also a "beavers tail" as below I've always called it a "Mustache".
I remember hearing this term on an old highlight tape. Not sure which.

May 29, 2001 near Claude, TX looking west
Pan of inflow bands/beavers tail forming

Fully formed Mustache

 

[Susan Strom]

Originally posted by Bobby Eddins
I've always called it a "Mustache".

Here's a mustache-y one, ("mustache-y" though is not a technical term) Not from the SE though, it was on the SW end of the storm.

Did you get your answer?

 

[Dan Robinson]

May 29, 2001 near Groom, TX along I-40.

June 7, 2005 near Kadoka, SD. This skinny band/flanking line stretched on forever to the south. I have a panorama of this somewhere with the band continuing through two more panels on the left side.

 

[Susan Strom]

Hey Dan, were you trying for a storm with the big 100-something foot cross (in Groom)

 

[Bill Tabor]

Originally posted by Shane Adams
You killed my theory...I was gonna say 'flanking line."

However, while we're on the subject, I did witness a storm feature unlike anything I've seen since. The date was May 1, 1997. The southwest flank of the storm extended outwards to the southwest forever...much like a "beaver tail" but it extended outward to the southwest, making it a flanking line, not inflow.

I'm thinking perhaps your 'infinity' flanking line and that of Dan Robinson's may be because the storm formed on a boundary such as a cold front. That would make it the visible part of the boundary.

 

[Bill Tabor]

Originally posted by Mike Hollingshead
While messing around with the site I noticed something about a certain storm feature. It is an inflow band that stretches southeast from the southeast side of an updraft base. I've been aware of the feature for long enough but never stopped to notice just how rare it is. I can only think of two storms I've seen with the feature. Both below:

Thoughts? Maybe I'm missing a name.

I've seen those a few times. The larger angled one (top picture) I'd probably call an 'inflow stinger' - but yes definitely inflow feature. Not sure if there is another term. I believe a Beaver Tail is similar but may differ a bit based on what is going on in the environment nearby the supercell.

Check out this page for a chase Tim and I were on a couple of years ago where we ran into both of these features. As I recall for awhile the 'inflow stinger' was very large and impressive and very active. You could easily visibly see cloud material 'whoosing' into the cell along with turbulence. I don't think I have a picture of that on the page - just the Beaver that later formed. http://www.tornadoxtreme.com/2004_Chases/M...h/may_13th.html

Also here is one of the enlarged pics:

 

[Dan Robinson]

Here is the pano for the 6/7/05 SD storm and its long inflow band to the south.

Susan, didn't know that was there. I'll have to make a note of that and stop next time!