Radar and Satellite Weather Interpretation for Pilots


Book Description

UTILIZE THE LATEST ADVANCES IN SATELLITE AND RADAR IMAGING FOR SMOOTH, SAFE FLIGHT OPERATIONS Recent breakthroughs in radar and satellite imaging and communications technology have put a tremendous amount of potentially life-saving weather-related data at a pilot's disposal. This heavily-illustrated, expertly written resource explains how to obtain, interpret, and effectively apply all this information. "Radar & Satellite Weather Interpretation For Pilots" thoroughly describes the usefulness - as well as limitations - of radar and satellite imaging in flight planning and operations and offers in-depth coverage of key topics such as: * Geographical Features * Weather Features * Interpretation and Application * Maps and Codes * Equipment Reviews * Lightning Detection Equipment * Image Illustrations * Flight Planning Strategies * Risk Evaluation * And more You'll also find reference information and maps to help plot radar locations and lists to decode location identifiers. Although "Radar & Satellite Weather Interpretation for Pilots" includes an in-depth review of satellite and weather radar fundamentals as applied to flight, it is far more than a collection of facts - it is a working tool that teaches pilots solid decision-making and risk assessment skills. The author, who is a former FAA Weather Specialist and a consultant for NASA includes valuable case study examples of misinterpretation and prevention techniques as well as actual weather scenarios used to apply flight planning strategies. If you are looking for clear and up-to-date information on satellite and radar weather interpretations for flight operations, your search ends here.




Images in Weather Forecasting


Book Description

A highly-illustrated manual for meteorology students and operational weather forecasters.




Satellite Weather Radar


Book Description

The problem of making radar measurements of meteorological phenomena such as rainfall, clouds, and ice crystal formation from a satellite is discussed. The main problem areas are obtaining sufficient signal-to-noise ratio within the weight limitation of the satellite system and avoiding ground clutter when scanning any significant angle off nadir. Sufficient signal-to-noise ratio to detect heavy rainfall at 35 GHz is available for a downlooking only system within the weight power limitation of the Military Meteorological Satellites. An arrested aperture doppler system to reject ground clutter at large scan angles off nadir while detecting rainfall by doppler due to its vertical motion is suggested.




Weather Radar


Book Description

With their images practically ubiquitious in the daily media, weather radar systems provide data not only for understanding weather systems and improving forecasts (especially critical for severe weather), but also for hydrological applications, flood warnings and climate research in which ground verification is needed for global precipitation measurements by satellites. This book offers an accessible overview of advanced methods, applications and modern research from the European perspective. An extensive introductory chapter summarizes the principles of weather radars and discusses the potential of modern radar systems, including Doppler and polarisation techniques, data processing, and error-correction methods. Addressing both specialist researchers and nonspecialists from related areas, this book will also be useful for graduate students planning to specialize in this field




Doppler Radar & Weather Observations


Book Description

This book reviews the principles of Doppler radar and emphasizes the quantitative measurement of meteorological parameters. It illustrates the relation of Doppler radar data and images to atmospherix phenomena such as tornados, microbursts, waves, turbulence, density currents, hurricanes, and lightning. Radar images and photographs of these weather phenomena are included. - Polarimetric measurements and data processing - An updated section on RASS - Wind profilers - Observations with the WSR-88D - An updated treatment of lightning - Turbulence in the planetary boundary layer - A short history of radar - Chapter problem sets




Weather Radar Technology Beyond NEXRAD


Book Description

Weather radar is a vital instrument for observing the atmosphere to help provide weather forecasts and issue weather warnings to the public. The current Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) system provides Doppler radar coverage to most regions of the United States (NRC, 1995). This network was designed in the mid 1980s and deployed in the 1990s as part of the National Weather Service (NWS) modernization (NRC, 1999). Since the initial design phase of the NEXRAD program, considerable advances have been made in radar technologies and in the use of weather radar for monitoring and prediction. The development of new technologies provides the motivation for appraising the status of the current weather radar system and identifying the most promising approaches for the development of its eventual replacement. The charge to the committee was to determine the state of knowledge regarding ground-based weather surveillance radar technology and identify the most promising approaches for the design of the replacement for the present Doppler Weather Radar. This report presents a first look at potential approaches for future upgrades to or replacements of the current weather radar system. The need, and schedule, for replacing the current system has not been established, but the committee used the briefings and deliberations to assess how the current system satisfies the current and emerging needs of the operational and research communities and identified potential system upgrades for providing improved weather forecasts and warnings. The time scale for any total replacement of the system (20- to 30-year time horizon) precluded detailed investigation of the designs and cost structures associated with any new weather radar system. The committee instead noted technologies that could provide improvements over the capabilities of the evolving NEXRAD system and recommends more detailed investigation and evaluation of several of these technologies. In the course of its deliberations, the committee developed a sense that the processes by which the eventual replacement radar system is developed and deployed could be as significant as the specific technologies adopted. Consequently, some of the committee's recommendations deal with such procedural issues.




Polarimetric Doppler Weather Radar


Book Description

This 2001 book provides a detailed introduction to the principles of Doppler and polarimetric radar, focusing in particular on their use in the analysis of weather systems. The design features and operation of practical radar systems are highlighted throughout the book in order to illustrate important theoretical foundations. The authors begin by discussing background topics such as electromagnetic scattering, polarization, and wave propagation. They then deal in detail with the engineering aspects of pulsed Doppler polarimetric radar, including the relevant signal theory, spectral estimation techniques, and noise considerations. They close by examining a range of key applications in meteorology and remote sensing. The book will be of great use to graduate students of electrical engineering and atmospheric science as well as to practitioners involved in the applications of polarimetric radar systems.




Practical Meteorology


Book Description

A quantitative introduction to atmospheric science for students and professionals who want to understand and apply basic meteorological concepts but who are not ready for calculus.







Weather Map Handbook, 3rd Ed., Color


Book Description

Weather Map Handbook is a guidebook and encyclopedia of the most common weather forecasting charts used in operational forecasting in the 2010s. It's written by a veteran forecaster for forecasters. All of the products are available on centralized systems like AWIPS and on the Internet on servers run by central weather agencies. Using a double-page format, the Weather Map Handbook demonstrates nearly every type of weather map, image, and product in common use. An overview of each item's origin, purpose, shortfalls, and tips are outlined. Standards for analysis symbology and chart markings are summarized. The surface, 850 mb, 700 mb, 500 mb, and 300-200 mb charts get two pages each, complete with philosophy, objectives, and techniques for each chart. Thickness, isentropic, and Q vector products get their own sections. The WSR-88D doppler radar, in use by the United States weather services, has played a vast part in the weather information revolution. In the Weather Map Handbook, it gets an entire section ranging from reflectivity, velocity, and spectrum width to dual-polarization products. Some of the details provided in this book are obscure and nearly impossible to find. From the workings of the Composite Reflectivity product to the exact process used by the Mesocyclone Detection Algorithm to deconstruct a radar scan, any NEXRAD radar product on the Internet can be understood. From the NAM to the HRRR, from the GFS to the ECMWF, forecasters get grounded in the history and configuration of numerical forecast model. Ensemble forecasts are highlighted. The satellite chapter explains visible, infrared, and water vapor imagery, how it's created, and how to interpret it. Even the METAR, TAF, SYNOP, and radiosonde formats get their own sections, complete with decoding instructions. Whether you're a hobbyist, private forecaster, a professional, or a student, the Weather Map Handbook is the book you can't be without.