NWS Louisville Doppler Radar Digital VIL

Heat Continues for the East and South-Central U.S.; Strong to Severe Storms Across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast

The extremely dangerous heat wave continues across the East Coast and much of the South-Central U.S. today. Record high temperatures are expected for some areas especially across the Mid-Atlantic where extreme heat risk conditions reside. There is a Slight Risk (level 2 of 5) of severe thunderstorms today for the northern Mid-Atlantic into portions of southern New England. Read More >

NWS Doppler Radar (WSR-88D) Example Products

This is an example of the Digital Vertically Integrated Liquid (DVIL) derived product. DVIL is a vertical integration of reflectivity values within the full depth of a thunderstorm, with values converted to equivalent liquid water. DVIL is useful to identify storms containing hail and a large liquid water content (i.e., deep, tall storms). It helps differentiate the relative strength and depth of storms. Limitations exist, but it gives NWS forecasters a quick assessment of storms in an area.

Above, DVIL is shown for several thunderstorms in north-central Kentucky in April 2011. The storm with the light brown color in Nelson County was severe, and had the highest DVIL values compared to other storms nearby. The storm southeast of Elizabethtown in Hardin County also was strong. Other cells had lower DVIL values and were weaker at this time. DVIL trends over time are very important and indicate growing or decaying storms. In fact, a storm with lowering DVIL values could be a collapsing cell about to produce a microburst before weakening. Intensifying storms (strong updrafts) would show increasing DVIL values.