VIL and updraft strength?
VIL (Vertically Integrated Liquid) is a summation of reflectivity through a vertical column of the troposphere. VIL is most accurate at the medium ranges from the radar site since the radar is able to sample most of the vertical column of the storm. If the storm is too close to the radar then part of the storm will be in the cone of silence and if the storm is too far from the radar then the bottom portion of the storm under the lowest tilt angle will not be sampled. The higher an updraft penetrates through the troposphere then it is more likely significant moisture has been funneled and suspended in that vertical column. If it is not apparent on reflectivity which storms have the strongest updrafts then the VIL can be used to determine which storms are most likely to have the strongest updrafts. Higher VIL values occur with suspended hail, heavy rain and precipitation extending through a deep vertical depth of the troposphere.
