The hook echo is one of the classical hallmarks of tornado-producing supercell thunderstorms as seen on weather radar. The echo is produced by rain, hail, or even debris being wrapped the supercell. The National Weather Service considers the presence of a hook echo as sufficient to justify issuing a tornado warning.

The hook echo has been recognized as a sign of tornado development for most of weather radar's existence. The first documented tracking of a hook echo was in April 9, 1953 by the Illinois State Water Survey , during preparations for an early test of radar's ability to measure rainfall rates.

Hook echoes are not always obvious. In the U.S. Southern states, thunderstorms tend to produce heavier rainfall which obscures the hook shape.

The use of doppler radar systems such as NEXRAD allows for detection of tornadoes even when the hook echo is not present, and for more certainty when it is. By detecting the relative velocities of different parts of a storm, doppler radar can detect areas of rotation.

References

• The First Tornadic Hook Echo Weather Radar Observations
• National Weather Service presentation on Radar Interpretation - slide 26, detailing the difficulties of spotting hook echoes in the south
• July 10th, 2000 Severe Weather (NWS) - includes discussion of tornadic radar signatures
• NWS - Tornado Warning Guideance: Spring 2002 (72kb PDF)