The ‘Bright Line’ in Radar Cloud Echoes and Its Probable Explanation

Observations on 10-cm height-finding radar of echoes from stratified clouds indicate a horziontal band which produces a stronger return than the parts above or below it. The height of ’bright line‘ occurrence is always at the freezing level and therefore supports the idea of drop formation and consequently radar-target formation in the colloidally unstable layer of heterogeneous ice-water mixture. Several examples are given from the thunderstorm observation network in the vicinity of Orlando, Florida