What type of radar is used to detect weather phenomena like tornadoes?

Doppler radar is used to detect and monitor weather phenomena such as tornadoes. It sends out radio-wave pulses and analyzes the returning signals to determine both where precipitation is located and how particles within a storm are moving.

Rain drops, hailstones, and other targets reflect the radar signal. If they are moving toward or away from the radar, the returned signal undergoes a Doppler frequency or phase shift. Meteorologists convert that shift into radial wind velocity, revealing circulation patterns that ordinary reflectivity radar cannot show as clearly.

Doppler radar does not directly guarantee that a tornado is on the ground. Instead, it can identify warning signs such as a rotating mesocyclone inside a severe thunderstorm, or a paired inbound-and-outbound velocity pattern known as a tornado vortex signature. Modern dual-polarization radar adds information about the shape and type of targets, helping distinguish rain from hail or airborne debris. Radar coverage, beam height, terrain, and storm evolution can still limit detection.