SECTION 12.3 GATHERING WEATHER DATAChapter 12: Meterology

WEATHER RADARRadar is needed to pinpoint where rain is falling at a given moment.

The electromagnetic waves ignore small cloud droplets and bounce off large raindrops

A computer processes the signals and shows them on a screen for meteorologists to compute.

DOPPLER RADARThe Doppler effect is the change in wave frequency that occurs in energy (sound or light) as that energy moves to or away from an observer

The horn of a train changes as it moves due to this effect.

Meteorologists use Doppler radar to determine wind speeds associated with precipitation in an area.

WEATHER SATELLITESSatellites can be used to observe clouds from above.

Some satellites use infrared imaging to detect differences in thermal energy.

Meteorologists can use the infrared to determine the type of clouds in an area.