Rj. Trapp, Observations of nontornadic low-level mesocyclones and attendant tornadogenesis failure during VORTEX, M WEATH REV, 127(7), 1999, pp. 1693-1705
Three storms intercepted during the Verification of the Origins of Rotation
in Tornadoes Experiment generated a moderate-to-strong mesocyclone within
the lowest several hundred meters above the ground and qualitatively appear
ed capable of tornadogenesis, yet did ndt produce a tornado. Such novel obs
ervations of what is considered "tornadogenesis failure" are documented and
used to show the insufficiency of a low-level mesocyclone for tornadogenes
is. Possible modes of failure are discussed.