Which sequence correctly represents the order of weather radar reflections from most reflective to least reflective?

Which sequence correctly represents the order of weather radar reflections from most reflective to least reflective?

• A. Wet Hail, Rain, Ice Crystals, Wet Snow, Dry Hail, Dry Snow
• B. Wet Snow, Dry Snow, Wet Hail, Rain
• C. Rain, Wet Hail, Ice Crystals, Dry Snow
• D. Ice Crystals, Rain, Wet Snow, Dry Hail, Dry Snow

Answer: (A)

Radar reflectivity rises with particle size and, crucially, with liquid water content. Wet hail carries liquid water, which greatly increases the dielectric contrast with air, making it a very strong reflector and placing it at the top. Large raindrops also produce strong echoes, but typically not as high as a water-coated hail particle. Ice crystals are solid ice with less water content and often smaller effective scattering cross sections, so they reflect less than hail or rain. Wet snow has more liquid water than dry snow, boosting its reflectivity but not to the level of the preceding categories. Dry hail, being ice with little liquid water, reflects more than dry snow but less than wet snow. Dry snow consists of small, fluffy crystals with minimal water, giving the weakest echoes. This sequence follows the influence of water content and particle size on radar reflectivity, ranking the reflections from most to least reflective as wet hail, rain, ice crystals, wet snow, dry hail, and dry snow.

Radar reflectivity rises with particle size and, crucially, with liquid water content. Wet hail carries liquid water, which greatly increases the dielectric contrast with air, making it a very strong reflector and placing it at the top. Large raindrops also produce strong echoes, but typically not as high as a water-coated hail particle. Ice crystals are solid ice with less water content and often smaller effective scattering cross sections, so they reflect less than hail or rain. Wet snow has more liquid water than dry snow, boosting its reflectivity but not to the level of the preceding categories. Dry hail, being ice with little liquid water, reflects more than dry snow but less than wet snow. Dry snow consists of small, fluffy crystals with minimal water, giving the weakest echoes. This sequence follows the influence of water content and particle size on radar reflectivity, ranking the reflections from most to least reflective as wet hail, rain, ice crystals, wet snow, dry hail, and dry snow.