The Radar Summary chart is a computer analysis of digital radar reports and is used as mainly as a briefing aid. This chart is produced hourly from radar reports taken 35 minutes past each hour. Figure 4-3-5 shows an example of a typical Radar Summary.

The following information is routinely represented on radar summary charts:

Areas of radar-observed precipitation are outlined with a solid line and shaded. Isoecho lines are drawn at levels 1, 3, and 5, Areas of light snow and drizzle usually do not show up well on radar and may not be indicated. Levels 3 and 5 contoured within the shaded areas indicate heavier precipitation.

Area movement, or the movement of a general area of precipitation, is indicated by a wind barb showing the direction and speed of movement.

Cell movement, or the movement of the strongest individual cumulonimbus cloud cell, is shown by an arrow indicating direction and a speed, in knots, printed near the point of the arrow.

Cloud cell tops are indicated by three underlined digits representing the height, in hundreds of feet. A thin line is usually drawn from the end of the underline to a location within a shaded precipitation area to show the location of the measurement. Cloud cell bases are shown with  

Weather Watch areas or boxes are enclosed with a dashed line and labeled with the watch number. The valid time of each watch area will be printed, along with the watch number, next to the legend in the lower left corner of each chart.

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