Sounding Analog Retrieval System (SARS)

Description: SARS uses a climatology of severe weather soundings to match groups of five parameters and retrieve soundings with similar characteristics. To match, all five parameters must overlap within a specified tolerance:

Significant Hail

• MUCAPE +/- 40%
• Mixing ratio of the most unstable parcel within 2 g/kg
• 500mb T(C) within 7C
• 700-500mb lapse rate within 1.5 C/km
• 0-6km bulk shear within 8 m/s

Tornado

• 100mb MLCAPE within 1500 J/kg
• MLLCL height (AGL) within 400m
• 700-500mb lapse rate within 1 C/km
• 0-1km SRH within 30%
• 0-6km bulk shear within 7 m/s

SARS will detect a number of matches, and there can still be significant differences in matched soundings due to the loose tolerance. It is best to investigate the differences between the soundings before drawing too many conclusions about expected outcomes.