Portable Audio & Video

Don’t Get Caught in the Rain With Local Weather Radar

How many times have you been driving to a picnic or a ball game, only to arrive and feel the slight sprinkle that precedes a rain shower? With a local weather radar, you don’t have to worry about being caught in the rain, and you’ll also know when the rain is going to break, giving you the best chance to be the first one at the park when the sun starts shining.

A local weather radar works by sending out pulses of energy. These pulses then bounce off of objects, like precipitation, and tell the radar where the clouds are. The heavier the rain, the more energy is bounced back, creating an accurate picture of the weather. You can find local weather radar in a variety of places, including online and on weather forecasts on TV. Most weather radar works on a colored scale, where darker colors indicate a higher level of rain. Seeing a weather radar picture allows you to know how much it’s raining, and where the rain might be going.

Before planning a trip, you may want to consult the national weather service and a local weather radar. Look for areas of heavy rain. If the radar is clear, then you don’t have anything to worry about. If there are scattered areas of color, then pay attention to the direction in which they are moving. Rain rarely changes direction dramatically, so you can generally make an accurate prediction. If the entire picture is covered with color, then it might be a good idea to settle down and stay inside for the day.

Local weather radar provides an accurate picture of the weather that affects you. By closely analyzing weather patterns at a local level, you can decipher the weather for your town, as opposed to guessing based on large national maps. Stay ahead of the weather and don’t get caught in the rain by taking advantage of local weather radar when planning or trip or even before heading out for a day at the beach.

About the Author

Eric J. Scull is the author of this article on Real time satellite images. Find more information about Cell phone weather alerts here.

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