GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -NSSL uses a mobile Doppler radar to position close to tornadic storms to scan the entire lifecycle of a tornado. This helps us understand atmospheric processes to help improve forecasts of significant weather events.

Detailed explanation-2: -A Doppler radar can detect wind speed and direction, rotation often signifies tornadic development. Once a tornado is detected, both radars and satellites are used to track the storm. Satellite images often show details of tornado damage, especially from high resolution POES images as seen below.

Detailed explanation-3: -Doppler radars measure how fast the particles in the cloud are moving toward or away from the radar. The returning radio waves have a higher frequency if the cloud particles are moving toward the radar, and a lower frequency if particles are moving away. This allows Doppler radars to identify severe weather.

Detailed explanation-4: -Doppler radar can see not only the precipitation in a thunderstorm (through its ability to reflect microwave energy, or reflectivity), but motion of the precipitation along the radar beam. In other words, it can measure how fast rain or hail is moving toward or away from the radar.