Intensity
A TVS can be measured by gate to gate wind shear, which is the change of wind speed and direction across the two gates of inbound and outbound velocities. Gates are the individual pixels on the radar display. For example, if the inbound velocity is −48 knots (−89 km/h) knots and the outbound is 39 knots (72 km/h), then there is 87 knots (161 km/h) of gate to gate shear. The impressiveness of a TVS not only has to do with the strength of the gate to gate shear, but it also incorporates the size and depth of the TVS, and the strength of any surrounding mesocyclone, among other things.
Read more about this topic: Tornado Vortex Signature
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