One problem with trying to expand your weather savvy is understanding what additional information is useful and what isn’t. Here’s our take on a current hot item: VIL.
The Hail detector
Unless you are a weather geek, you probably have never heard of vertically integrated liquid (VIL). VIL is one of dozens of products generated by the same NWS radars that give us composite- and base-reflectivity images weve all come to know and love. Taking a peek at VIL wont revolutionize your use of NEXRAD, but it could warn you which cells are most likely to kick your butt.
Key Takeaways:
- VIL (Vertically Integrated Liquid) is a radar product that estimates the total liquid water content above a location by converting reflectivity values into a liquid-water equivalent summed with height.
- It is a primary indicator of hail and strong updrafts, with higher VIL values (e.g., 55 kg/m3 for >0.75" hail, 70 kg/m3 for >1-2" hail) suggesting increasing hail size and potential for significant turbulence.
- Pilots are advised to avoid any areas showing VIL due to potential turbulence and give high VIL cells a significant berth (20 miles or more) to evade hail and strong updrafts.
- VIL can be found on ground-based weather services and websites but has limitations, including potential underestimation for fast-moving or tilted storms and overestimation beyond 100 nautical miles from the radar.
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