1. Why does the radar screen almost always show a weather disturbance centered over Minot, North Dakota?
2. Given the advent of radar and satellite-based atmospheric measurements, do we still utilize individual weather station data? Why or why not?
   
   
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Radar and Satellite Queries FAQs

Answers

1. Why does the radar screen almost always show a weather disturbance centered over Minot, North Dakota?

   The reason why Minot, North Dakota has what looks like precipitation or storm activity around it most of the time is because the National Weather Service has their NEXRAD weather radar at Minot. What you are seeing is what we call "ground clutter", the radar's beam bouncing off tall buildings, etc. Sometimes they can filter out the ground clutter from the image, but most of the time it's transmitted to us with its clutter.

   
   

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2. Given the advent of radar and satellite-based atmospheric measurements, do we still utilize individual weather station data? Why or why not?

   Meteorologists continue to use ground stations because they are the best way to measure the conditions at a location. Satellite and radar images work by remote sensing. There are instances when the data that they measure is inaccurate or the resolution (degree of detail visible in a remote-sensing image) is not good.

   There is a term that meteorologists use called "ground truth". This means that the conditions observed on the ground are accepted over any other method (e.g., satellite, radar, aerial photograph).

   
   

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