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SEVERE STORM STRUCTURE: FLANKING LINE

METEOROLOGIST JEFF HABY

The flanking line is produced by convergence along an outflow boundary extending from the storm. This outflow is often air from aloft that is converged into warm and moist air near the surface. It can be seen as a line of developing cumulus clouds extending from the storm. The cumulus closer to the storm tend to be more mature and eventually merge into the parent storm. The diagram below shows the flanking line at "D". The flanking line often feeds into the updraft of the storm.