Weather Radar

weather forecasting · storms · technology · radar science

Bounces radio waves. Weather radar sends out invisible radio waves that bounce off raindrops, hail, and other precipitation in clouds. When the waves bounce back, computers can figure out where the rain is and how heavy it is.

Detects moving storms. Modern Doppler weather radars don't just see where rain is, they can also tell if it's moving toward you or away from you, like how a siren's sound changes as an ambulance passes by. This helps meteorologists predict which direction a storm will go.

Spots dangerous weather. By analyzing the radar data, weather scientists can detect rotation in clouds that might form a tornado, or hail cores that could cause damage. This gives people valuable warning time to stay safe.

Colors show intensity. Weather radar displays storms using different colors on maps and TV, with green meaning light rain, yellow and orange meaning heavier rain, and red showing the most intense storms with hail.

Reads storm structure. Weather radar helps meteorologists understand how a storm is organized inside, including whether it has the dangerous rotating features that could spawn tornadoes.