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Weather radar facts for kids

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Hurricane Rita Lake Charles radar
Weather radar of Hurricane Rita

A weather radar is a special machine that uses radar to see where rain, snow, or hail is falling. It helps us know if precipitation is coming our way. Weather radars can also tell us how fast the precipitation is moving. They can even tell us what type of precipitation it is. This helps forecasters predict future weather.

Modern weather radars are mostly Doppler radars. These radars are very clever. They can find out how fast raindrops are moving. They also measure how heavy the rain or snow is. This information helps scientists understand storms better. It can also help them tell if a storm might cause severe weather, like tornadoes or strong thunderstorms.


How Weather Radar Works

Weather radar sends out radio waves. These waves travel through the air. When the waves hit raindrops, snowflakes, or hail, they bounce back. The radar then listens for these bounced-back waves.

Seeing Precipitation

The radar measures how long it takes for the waves to return. This tells us how far away the precipitation is. It also measures how strong the bounced-back waves are. Stronger waves mean heavier rain or snow. This is how the radar creates a picture of where precipitation is falling.

Understanding Movement with Doppler Radar

Most modern weather radars use something called the Doppler effect. This is the same effect you hear when an ambulance siren changes pitch as it drives past you. For radar, it means the waves change slightly if the rain is moving towards or away from the radar.

By measuring this change, the radar can tell us if the rain is moving towards it or away from it. It can also tell us how fast the rain is moving. This is very useful for seeing how storms are developing. It helps forecasters spot dangerous winds inside storms.

What Weather Radar Shows Us

Weather radar images show different colors. These colors represent how heavy the precipitation is. Green usually means light rain. Yellow and orange mean heavier rain. Red often means very heavy rain or hail.

Tracking Storms

Forecasters use radar to track storms as they move. They can see if a storm is getting stronger or weaker. They can also see the direction a storm is heading. This helps them warn people about incoming bad weather.

Spotting Severe Weather

Doppler radar is especially good at finding severe weather. It can detect rotating winds inside thunderstorms. This rotation can be a sign that a tornado might form. Radar can also show areas of strong winds or large hail. This allows weather experts to issue warnings to keep people safe.

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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Radar meteorológico para niños

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