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That first tiny blip on radar could be the difference between the chase of a lifetime and a total bust — but most chasers miss the signs until it's too late. In this episode, Gabe and Trey break down exactly how to spot convective initiation early, read echo tops like a pro, and know which storms are worth chasing before they even show up on radar.

00:00 Intro: The Convective Initiation Moment

01:39 Earliest Clues Before Storms Fire

03:00 Reflectivity Blips Explained

04:06 Echo Tops for Diagnosing Storms

05:30 Why Some Storms Die, Others Explode

07:30 Echo Tops Limitations & Mistakes

Every storm chaser knows the feeling: you've forecasted the setup, driven hundreds of miles to your target, and the sky is primed — but nothing has fired yet. That's why understanding convective initiation is one of the most important skills in storm chasing. In this episode of the Storm Chaser Coaching Podcast, host Gabriel Harbor and Lead Coach Trey Greenwood break down exactly how to use radar to catch storm development at its earliest stages.

They start with the clues that appear before anything shows up on radar — boundaries, fine lines of reflectivity, and bubbling cumulus fields that signal an atmosphere ready to explode. From there, they explain the first true radar signature of a developing storm: the blip, a small pocket of reflectivity that marks the beginning of precipitation aloft.

The conversation moves into echo tops and enhanced echo tops, key radar products for estimating cloud top heights and identifying which developing storms have the best chance of becoming severe. Trey explains the science behind why some updrafts collapse under a stubborn cap or dry air aloft, while others cluster together, resist entrainment, and blossom into dominant supercells — often with an assist from an approaching shortwave.

Rounding out the discussion, Trey covers the common mistakes and limitations chasers run into when relying on echo tops, especially when storms are close to the radar site, and why pairing radar with satellite imagery gives you the clearest picture of a storm's true potential.

Whether you're new to storm chasing or refining your forecast-day strategy, this episode delivers practical, field-tested techniques for identifying convective initiation, reading radar blips, and targeting the storms most likely to become the day's dominant supercell.