Warm-front thunderstorms can be severe! (tornadoes, hot, temperature, places)

[artwomyn]

I've always heard that thunderstorms associated with warm-fronts, are not severe. But I beg to differ. Especially at this time of year, when temperature contrasts are strongest, warm-fronts can indeed spawn storms, that reach severe levels.

One thing that I've noticed over the years, is that severe thunderstorms associated with warm-fronts, tend to produce hail, damaging winds and frequent cloud-to-ground lightning. But NOT tornadoes. At least not usually.

Also, even if the dewpoint is high (over 65 degrees), warm-front thunderstorms are usually elevated. I'm wonderig if this is why severe thunderstorms associated with warm-fronts, most often produce hail, rather than tornadoes. Can anybody else out there, tell me why this is the case?

[Canine*Castle]

Warms fronts don't typically do anything except perhaps produce rain and maybe thunderstorms of non-severe limits. What causes severity is when a cold front meets the warm/hot humid air.

As much as I despise hot and humid weather, I'm always happy when a cold front blows through and I just pray it doesn't cause tornadoes and hail deep in the heart of Texas. In fact, we're expecting potentially bad weather tonight before this disgusting heat and humid air moves out for a while.

How a Tornado Forms

[artwomyn]

Originally Posted by Canine*Castle

Warms fronts don't typically do anything except perhaps produce rain and maybe thunderstorms of non-severe limits. What causes severity is when a cold front meets the warm/hot humid air.

As much as I despise hot and humid weather, I'm always happy when a cold front blows through and I just pray it doesn't cause tornadoes and hail deep in the heart of Texas. In fact, we're expecting potentially bad weather tonight before this disgusting heat and humid air moves out for a while.

How a Tornado Forms

Even if not on a frequent basis, warm-fronts CAN produce severe thunderstorms though. Warm-fronts do usually produce elevated storms. I was wondering, is this why warm-front thunderstorms, can produce large hail, but NOT usually tornadoes?

[susancruzs]

We have a warm front clashing with a cold front today in Wisconsin, yesterday in Iowa created a tornado, F3 I believe.

Where I am we didn't reach the high 60's or 70's, too close to the lake, but other places did and now there are storm warnings.

[Weatherfan2]

The damaging Birmingham (UK) tornado (a rare F2) on 28th July 2005 was spawned from a warm front severe thunderstorm. Very unusual for warm fronts to trigger thunderstorms in this neck of the woods.

[artwomyn]

Originally Posted by susancruzs

We have a warm front clashing with a cold front today in Wisconsin, yesterday in Iowa created a tornado, F3 I believe.

Where I am we didn't reach the high 60's or 70's, too close to the lake, but other places did and now there are storm warnings.

Did you know if the thunderstorms associated with the warm-front, were edlevated, as they usually are?

[susancruzs]

Not sure about the elevated as this wasn't strictly a warm front situation, which is what you were asking in your original post.

The midwest had an extreme warm up, then a cold front following so there were at least 7 tornadoes in Wisc., plus straight line winds, hail, a little bit of everything. Of course, the storms formed where the cold met the warm, so not a warm only front.