Storm types#linear#radar
Bow echo
At a glance
A squall line bent into the shape of a bow — where the bow's apex is, the wind is strongest. The signature of a damaging wind event.
Deep dive
A bow echo is a radar signature of a bowed-out segment of a squall line caused by a strong rear-inflow jet punching through the back of the line. Apex winds can exceed 30 m/s sustained; damage is widespread straight-line wind, sometimes misidentified as tornadoes.
Bow apexes can spawn mesovortices and brief EF0–EF2 tornadoes at the leading edge. On a series of bows in sequence, the whole system is a derecho.