Weather radar

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/weather-radar

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the operating frequencies?Commonly uses S-band, C-band, and X-band microwave frequencies
2. What is the key measurement techniques?Reflectivity (precipitation intensity) and Doppler velocity (precipitation motion)
3. What is weather radar and how does it see storms?Weather radar sends microwave pulses into the sky and listens for the echoes that bounce back from rain, snow, or hail, telling us how far and how strong the precipitation is.
4. How does weather radar help us stay safe from storms?By giving real‑time information about where storms are and how fast they are moving, meteorologists can warn people about thunderstorms, tornadoes, or flash floods before they arrive.

Hydrometeors: Any form of water particle, liquid or solid, that falls from the atmosphere or is suspended in it.
Doppler Effect: The change in frequency of a wave in relation to an observer moving relative to the wave source.
Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP): The process of using mathematical models and computer simulations to forecast future weather conditions.