What are typical indicators of a weather radar threat requiring avoidance or diversion?

• A. Severe precipitation cells, echo tops indicating strong storms, radar returns with potential hazards
• B. Light drizzle with no echoes
• C. Clear air with no reflectivity
• D. Temp inversions only

Answer: (A)

Weather radar threats to avoid are indicated when you see strong convective activity on the display—cells with high reflectivity and significant vertical development. High reflectivity values reveal heavy precipitation within a storm, often accompanied by features that indicate dangerous weather such as strong updrafts. When storms have tall echo tops, it means they’re vertically developed to great altitudes, signaling potential severe weather phenomena like strong turbulence, wind shear, hail, and lightning. These radar signatures collectively alert pilots to avoid or divert around the cell to maintain safety.

In contrast, light drizzle with little to no echoes, clear air with no reflectivity, or conditions like temperature inversions alone do not present radar-indicated hazards requiring avoidance, since they don’t show the intense convective activity that poses a real threat to flight.