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:
- Vertically Integrated Liquid (VIL) is a NEXRAD radar product that estimates the total liquid water content above a location, serving as a key indicator of hazardous convective activity, strong updrafts, and especially the presence of large hail.
- High VIL values signify dangerous storms; for instance, VIL exceeding 55 kg/m3 can indicate hail over three-quarters of an inch, while over 70 kg/m3 suggests hail exceeding one to two inches, necessitating significant avoidance for aircraft.
- While useful for flight planning and hazard avoidance, VIL can be underestimated for fast-moving or tilted storms and overestimated for storms beyond 100 nautical miles from the radar.
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