Short Term Forecasting: advantages of radar data

Using radar data, a forecaster can determine the nature of any existing weather systems and follow their movement and evolution. This is a valuable tool for making short term weather predictions.

[Image: reflectivity field for Hurricane Andrew (45K)]
This QuickTime movie (964k) shows severe thunderstorms moving across Illinois. By analyzing radar loops such as this, forecasters can determine the intensity and movement of thunderstorms, helping them to issue advanced warnings and advisories to cities which lie in the paths of the storms.

[Image: reflectivity field for Hurricane Andrew (23K)]
This QuickTime movie (803k) shows a large area of heavy rain developing around St. Louis. After seeing this area develop on radar, meteorologists issued flood watches for Missouri and southern Illinois.

hurricanes

Terms for using data resources. CD-ROM available.
Credits and Acknowledgments for WW2010.
Department of Atmospheric Sciences (DAS) at
the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

flash floods