DESCRIPTION: Base Reflectivity is one of the basic quantities that a Doppler radar (like NEXRAD) measures. The other base products NEXRAD produces are Base Velocity and Spectrum Width (which is not available via NIDS). Base Reflectivity basically corresponds to the amount of radiation that is scattered or reflected back to the radar by whatever targets are located in the radar beam at a given location. These targets can be hydrometeors (snow, rain drops, hail, cloud drops or ice particles) or other targets (dust, smoke, birds, airplanes, insects). The colors on the Base Reflectivity product correspond to the intensity of the radiation that was received by the radar antenna from a given location.

GENERAL INTERPRETATION: Several concepts apply to the interpretation of every radar product:

Propagation of Radar Beam

Anomalous Propagation

General Relationship of Reflectivity (dBZ) to Rain Rate

Broadening of the Radar Beam

Aspect Ratio

Radar Horizon

USING BASE REFLECTIVITY IN SEVERE WEATHER :

Dry Line in Base Reflectivity

Outflow Boundaries

Intersecting Boundaries: Cold Front & Dryline

Bounded Weak Echo Region (BWER)

Hail Core and 3-Body Scatter (Hail) Spike

Hook Echo and "V"-Notch

Bow Echo

USING BASE REFLECTIVITY IN FLOODING :

Training Echoes

USING BASE REFLECTIVITY IN WINTER WEATHER :

Snow in Clear-Air Mode

Distinguising Precipitation Type

USING BASE REFLECTIVITY IN FIRE WEATHER :

Recognizing Wind Shifts

VAD Wind Profile (VAD)