When it comes to storm chasing, dry lines may be the bread and butter of targeting — but triple points are oftentimes the bullseye that demands attention.
This region is also often an overlooked target for new storm chasers. Don’t ignore it.
The triple point is usually where the dryline meets a warm front or stationary front — and also where the center of low pressure resides. All of these ingredients create a vorticity rich zone which favors tornado formation.
When Triple Points Work
A strong surface low pressure with a strong moisture gradient on the dryline and a somewhat diffuse warm front is the perfect combination for triple point tornadoes.
In fact, there are some days that the target becomes painfully obvious when all of these factors come into play.
Another time when you might target this region is when capping is stronger. Triple points tend to see the cap broken more often than other targets.
When to avoid
If there isn’t much capping and a lot of forcing, avoid triple points.
Usually in this scenario there will be a messy/complicated and perhaps impossible chase situation develop. At the very least, storms will display almost zero photogenic characteristics.
