On a weather radar display, what does high reflectivity (dBZ) indicate about precipitation?

• A. Heavier precipitation, such as heavy rain or hail, and potential convective activity.
• B. Lighter rainfall and clearer skies.
• C. No precipitation, only clouds.
• D. Lower wind speeds.

Answer: (A)

High reflectivity means a large amount of hydrometeors in the radar beam, which corresponds to heavier precipitation. On a weather radar, the reflectivity factor Z (and its dBZ value, which is 10 log10 of Z) increases as the size and quantity of raindrops or ice particles grow. When you see high dBZ values, you’re usually looking at heavy rain, hail, or other intense precipitation, often coming from convective activity where strong updrafts produce many large droplets or hailstones. Lighter rainfall shows lower reflectivity, while no precipitation would give near-zero reflectivity. Wind speed isn’t indicated by reflectivity, so that’s not what high dBZ represents.