Which radar feature is commonly associated with tornadic supercells?

• A. Hook echo.
• B. Broad diffuse reflectivity.
• C. Clear-sky halo.
• D. Linear convective line signature.

Answer: (A)

Hook echoes form when precipitation wraps around a strong rotating updraft in a supercell, creating a curved, hook-shaped extension in the radar reflectivity image. This wrapping happens as the inflow feeds the mesocyclone, pulling rain into the rotation and producing the distinctive hook on the radar display. Because tornadic supercells have a powerful rotating updraft, the hook echo is a classic radar clue that a tornado could be present or imminent. In contrast, broad diffuse reflectivity shows widespread rain without the tight, curved structure associated with rotation; a clear-sky halo is an optical phenomenon unrelated to radar storm structure; and a linear convective line signature indicates a squall-line setup with organized straight-line winds, not the rotating, single-cell core that characterizes tornadic supercells.