Measurement: Gauges and Networks, Radar and

satellite Estimates

Scientists can now directly measure precipitation using ground-based

instruments such as rain gauges or indirectly using remote sensing techniques such as

radar systems, aircraft, and Earth-observing satellites.

WHAT IS PRECIPITATION?

Precipitation is defined as any form of water that falls from the atmosphere and

falls to the ground, including rain, sleet, and snow. Although precipitation is a crucial

component of the water cycle, it can also cause flooding and soil erosion.

Precipitation occurs when water vapor saturates the air, causing it to become

saturated and unable to hold any more moisture. Water vapor condenses into water or

ice drops as it falls from the sky.

The type of precipitation formed is determined by the temperature of the air. The

water vapor will condense into ice crystals if the air is cold, falling as snow. Water vapor

condenses into raindrops when the air temperature rises.

 Precipitation is one of the most significant aspects of weather that affects daily

life. Accurate precipitation measurement is critical for monitoring precipitation's effects

on the environment.

Accurate precipitation measurement is required for understanding the water cycle

and the impact of precipitation on the environment. Precise data allows scientists to

track trends and forecast the planet's climate. For public safety, accurate precipitation

measurement is required.

WHAT ARE SOME TOOLS WHEN MEASURING PRECIPITATION?

1. RAIN GAUGE. A device used to measure the amount of precipitation over time.

HOW TO USE IT: A large cylinder with a funnel inside collects accumulated

precipitation, which is measured to the nearest hundredth with a ruler.

Rain gauges measure the amount of precipitation at a specific location. Individual

rain gauge measurements are frequently used to represent precipitation conditions over

larger areas. However, this is not always the best assumption to make. In reality,

precipitation may fall more or less heavily at the gauge's location, or it may completely

miss the gauge. Damage or obstructions to a gauge, as well as the presence of strong

winds, can all introduce errors.

 For over a century, rain gauge networks have been the primary source of rainfall

measurements. While these devices provide direct and accurate (in comparison to other

sensors) rainfall measurements, they have limited sampling areas. Another problem

exists when using rain gauges as a source of precipitation information: rain gauges

perform point-specific measurements, and even in very dense networks, it may be

challenging to capture the spatial variability of precipitation, particularly when working at

sub-hour scales or dealing with very localized convective or orographic precipitation.

A rain gauge collects water that falls on it and records the change in rainfall depth

over time, which is usually expressed in millimeters.

There are some potential downsides to using rain gauges. For example, due to

wind extremes, collecting rain data during a hurricane can be nearly impossible.

Furthermore, rain gauges can only be used to indicate precipitation that has fallen within

a specific area. Additionally, the accuracy of a network is determined by the total number

and location of gauges in the network.

Using a rain gauge to measure precipitation can help you decide how much to

water your plants between rainstorms. It will also assist you in determining whether or not

to use sprinklers to water your lawn, as well as measuring the amount of water your plants

receive from the sprinklers. This useful information can help you avoid wasting water and

money, as well as over-saturating the ground. A rain gauge allows you to identify potential

flooding conditions that could harm your yard and home. Your rain gauge will be able to

tell you exactly how much rain is falling around your property, even if it is not raining as

much in other nearby cities.

EXAMPLE:
 1. DOPPLER RADAR. it is a tool used to monitor the movement of precipitation.

HOW IT'S USED: Radio waves are emitted in a specific direction and reflected off

an object to determine its distance. Outstanding for tracking storm locations.

RADAR stands for Radio Detecting and Ranging, and it is based on the use of

radio waves, as the name suggests. Radars emit electromagnetic waves that are similar

to those used by wireless computer networks and mobile phones.

Ground-Based Weather Radar emerged during World War II and has since been

used to observe precipitation, mostly over land. It sends out pulses of microwave energy

in narrow beams that scan in a circular pattern. When the microwave pulse encounters

precipitation particles in the atmosphere, the energy is scattered in all directions, sending

some energy back to the radar. These measurements are used to estimate intensity,

altitude, precipitation type, and motion.

Ground-Based Weather Radar first appeared during WWII and has since been

used to observe precipitation, primarily over land. It emits microwave energy pulses in

narrow beams that scan in a circular pattern. When a microwave pulse collides with

precipitation particles in the atmosphere, the energy is scattered in all directions, with

some of it returning to the radar. These measurements are used to estimate precipitation

intensity, altitude, type, and motion.

 Weather forecasters use the strength and speed of the pulse returning to the

weather radar site to determine the distance to an approaching storm and the amount of

precipitation. Precipitation type, motion, turbulence, and many other useful

determinations can also be made, such as identifying the debris flung into the air by a

tornado (known as a debris ball).

Radar can determine how far away precipitation is, its speed, and the size of the

droplets or snowflakes. This information can then be used in computer forecasting models

to predict future weather trends, as well as to alert meteorologists to impending

precipitation, storms, or severe weather.

A weather radar is an essential tool for observing the atmosphere and providing

weather forecasts and warnings to the public.

Weather radar also monitors larger weather systems, such as hurricanes, which

frequently include similar phenomena but can cover vast areas. Weather radars now help

to improve aviation safety and the overall operational efficiency of the air transport

industry by monitoring rainfall intensity and contributing to agriculture alerts and flood

warnings.

Radars are now used to detect and track aircraft, spacecraft, and ships at sea, as

well as insects and birds in the atmosphere; to measure the speed of automobiles; to map

the earth's surface from space; and to measure atmospheric and oceanic properties.
 To summarize, weather radar (also known as Doppler weather radar) is a device

that sends pulses of electromagnetic energy into the atmosphere to locate precipitation,

determine its motion and intensity, and identify the type of precipitation, such as rain,

snow, or hail.

EXAMPLE:
 2. WEATHER SATELLITE. A device used to monitor the Earth's weather and

climate.

HOW IT WORKS: A scanning mechanism sends data and images from space that

depict clouds, ocean currents, and storm movement.

Global precipitation estimates can be provided on a regular basis by Earth-

observing satellites. Satellites carry instruments designed to observe specific

atmospheric characteristics such as cloud temperatures and precipitation particles, or

hydrometeors, in order to accomplish this.

These data are extremely useful for filling data gaps between rain gauges and

ground-based radar sites, and they provide insight into when, where, and how much

precipitation is falling around the world. Satellite data also provides a unique perspective.

While ground-based instruments can directly measure or estimate the amount of

precipitation that falls to the ground, satellite instruments estimate the amount of

electromagnetic radiation or energy that is emitted or reflected from the top of the clouds

or from the rain droplets themselves, providing a top-down view. Diwata 1 and Himawari

8 are two examples of weather satellites.

EXAMPLES:
HIMAWARI 8

DIWATA 1
 REFERENCES:

https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/10394/chapter/3

https://olc.worldbank.org/sites/default/files/sco/E7B1C4DE-C187-5EDB-3EF2-

897802DEA3BF/Nasa/chapter2.html

https://www.rappler.com/nation/weather/low-pressure-area-shear-line-easterlies-

pagasa-forecast-january-28-2022-4am/

https://www.pgyc.org/weather.php

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/10/7/1023\