NOAA Nexrad Photo showing classic hook echo. The advantage of Doppler radar is the ability to interpret the winds within weather systems. This feature allows the operater to see rotations within thunderstorms, microbursts, gust front winds and many other features not available to users of conventional radar. The rotation in thunderstorms, known as the mesocyclone, will usually occur in the upper levels of the storm and work toward the ground. Pettit Photo Mesocylone which produced F3 tornado in Montgomery, Al.
Photo shows velocity couplets near center of picture.
Intensification of this feature, and progression toward the ground provide early warnings for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. Essentially all tornadoes have the mesocylone feature. Microburst photo by Bill Bunting Microbursts, one form of wind shear, are also detectable with Doppler radar, however the physical features seen by the operator are usually seen after the phenomenia is already occurring. Several terrible aircraft accidents have been attributed to this phenomenia over the years. Doppler radar can detect wind shear, and the Federal Aviation Agency is in the process of installing Doppler radars at selected airfields to hopefully prevent wind shear accidents.