page_title: Rear flank downdraft
section_title: Role in tornadogenesis
hierarchical_section_title: Rear flank downdraft / Role in tornadogenesis
caption_attribution_description: The hook echo of a tornado to the northwest of the NWS NEXRAD radar in Kansas City on 2003-05-04. The background image is the base reflectivity and "H2" is the location of the tornado. Created using NCDC JAVA NEXRAD tool.
context_page_description: The rear flank downdraft or RFD is a region of dry air wrapping around the back of a mesocyclone in a supercell thunderstorm. These areas of descending air are thought to be essential in the production of many supercellular tornadoes. Large hail within the rear flank downdraft often shows up brightly as a hook on weather radar images, producing the characteristic hook echo, which often indicates the presence of a tornado.
caption: A classic hook echo, indicating the presence of a rear flank downdraft (and in this case, a tornado). The tornado associated with this echo was part of the May 2003 tornado outbreak sequence.
exif: {}