Squall line tornadoes have a tendency to surprise. They are ephemeral and often evade detection, forming and dying in the interludes between the scans of most radar systems. They are also ...

Most large and violent tornadoes come from supercells. Image Credit: NOAA A “bow echo” is a radar signature of a squall line that “bows out” as winds fall behind the line and ...

A bow echo is a radar signature of a high wind-driven storm front which forms due to strong winds pushing the centre of the ...

These tornadoes often spin up within minutes and sometimes go undetected on radar. They don’t always ... So the next time you hear about a squall line in the forecast, take it seriously.

Thankfully, computer models and remote-sensing devices such as radar and satellite imagery often make it possible to warn of an advancing squall line within several hours of its arrival.

The series of radar images below from the Albany Doppler radar and Instant Doppler 6 show show the squall line as it progressed across the region through the evening. Albany Doppler radar image at ...

The squall line is now past Tallahassee and the severe weather warning has expired, but forecasters have extended a tornado watch until 3 p.m. for the area. The storm has spawned radar indicated ...