Weather radar tracks storms by measuring how raindrops change the frequency of radio waves
Modern weather radar tracks the movement of storms by measuring the Doppler shift in radio waves as they bounce off falling raindrops.
Weather radar systems utilize the Doppler effect, a principle first described by Christian Doppler in 1842, to see inside storms. The radar emits pulses of 10cm radio waves that penetrate clouds but bounce off larger objects like raindrops or hailstones. If the rain is moving toward the radar, the frequency of the returning signal increases; if it is moving away, the frequency decreases. By measuring this precise 'phase shift,' meteorologists can calculate the wind speed and direction within a storm cell.
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