Inside Thunderclouds

Thunderclouds--and the plane-racking turbulence that goes on inside them--are a constant menace to a pilot. He cannot always tell whether the cloud ahead is dangerous or not. Last week both the airlines and the U.S. Weather Bureau were peering into clouds with radar--which seems to be the way to spot a genuine thunderhead full of dreaded turbulence.

What a radar "sees" is not the thundercloud itself; raindrops or hailstones inside it reflect the radar's waves. The fierce air currents do not show up on the scope, but the presence of large masses of raindrops is a strong indication of turbulence. A plane equipped with the proper radar can steer a safe course, even at night, among a herd of thunderstorms. The Weather Bureau's radar can spot a storm as far away as 100 miles, and warn planes to steer clear of it.

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