How To Read Reflectivity On A Radar Display
Radar returns are usually described by colour or level. The colours in a radar image normally range from blue or green for weak returns, to red or magenta for very strong returns. The numbers in a verbal report increase with the severity of the returns. For example, the U.S. National Doppler Radar sites use the following scale for different levels of reflectivity:
- magenta: 65 dBZ (extremely heavy precipitation, possible hail)
- red: 52 dBZ
- yellow: 36 dBZ
- green: 20 dBZ (light precipitation)
Strong returns (red or magenta) may indicate not only heavy rain but also thunderstorms, hail, strong winds, or tornadoes, but they need to be interpreted carefully, for reasons described below.
Read more about this topic: Weather Radars, Data Types, Reflectivity (in Decibel or DBZ)
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