Formatting options for aviation uses of the NEXRAD Echo Tops product

The availability of a high resolution echo tops product derived from the NEXRAD system provides an opportunity to examine different schemes of formatting this information for diverse potential users within the air traffic control community. Options range from alphanumeric descriptions to graphical image portrayals in various forms to plots of time series descriptions of derived statistical parameters. Graphics include the most current intensity distribution of echo tops within selected regions of interest as well as time loops of these images over different time periods, including possibly nowcasted products that indicate predicted conditions out to several hours in the future. Statistical measures include the fraction of space containing echo tops greater than one or more prescribed values, means of describing the spatial and temporal distributions of convective and stratiform conditions and indicators of storm intensity. The context of the formats are placed within the domains of both terminal and enroute air traffic control conditions.