NWS Louisville Doppler Radar Enhanced Echo Tops

NWS Doppler Radar (WSR-88D) Example Products

A derived product from NWS Doppler radar is Enhanced Echo Tops. The radar estimates echo tops of precipitation-producing systems, including thunderstorms, based on data from various levels. Any color enhancement curve can be placed on the data to highlight various features. Although this product is less critical with respect to severe storm assessment than other radar data, echo tops and their temporal trends can give forecasters a quick look at those storms and locations containing the highest and/or growing tops of storms.

In this image, several supercell thunderstorms were located over central Kentucky on March 2, 2012. The green (orange/yellow) colors represent echo tops ranging from 30,000-40,000 ft (40,000-50,000 ft). Lower echo tops are in blue and purple colors.

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