- 1). Look at the screen and determine what colors are being displayed.
- 2). Understand that the colors are representations of what is occurring outside with respect to precipitation and wind speeds.
- 3). Determine what the colors are telling you. Blue indicates light rain or snow. Greens identify moderate to heavy rains or a light thunderstorm. Yellow displays a moderate thunderstorm. Magenta and red are indications of very strong, heavy thunderstorms. Storms in this range may be severe and could also harbor tornadoes.
- 4). Look for bow echoes that could indicate rotational winds, which signal a possible tornado. Bow echoes look like small bulges in an otherwise fairly straight line of thunderstorms. They are usually deep red in color and bulge in the direction the storm is moving. These bulges are often difficult to spot, usually taking a well-trained eye to find and correctly identify.
- 5). Observe any "ground clutter" to which meteorologists refer. Doppler radar will use radio waves that bounce off objects, which can include dust, smog, dirt, even insects. Ground clutter is light blue and it is usually displayed around major cities.
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