1.3: Precipitation on a map
- Page ID
- 38601
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Precipitation (rain, sleet, snow, hail, etc.) is an important part of weather and is often considered by people as they go about their daily lives. As such, it’s very important to identify where precipitation is located on a weather map, so that you can figure out if there is any in your area. As indicated in Figure 1.2.1, the only station in Texas reporting precipitation is San Antonio, TX. This could lead to a potentially misleading interpretation that precipitation is isolated to the region. Thus, we need to rely on more than just station reports to identify where precipitation is occurring.
While we’ll cover the details of precipitation in greater depth in a separate investigation, weather stations can detect precipitation over a larger area using Doppler radar data. Many weather stations have a Doppler radar that emits a pulse of energy into the air, which is reflected off precipitation and returned to the station. The properties of the “reflected” energy (called an echo) tell us about the location, movement, and intensity of precipitation. The data is then plotted on a map, like Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\), where irregular shadings of blue/green/yellow/red represent precipitation. Blue and green indicate light precipitation; yellow indicates moderate; orange and red typically indicate heavy precipitation, including thunderstorms.
- Based on Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\), Doppler radar echoes indicate that precipitation _____ present over/near San Antonio, in central Texas.
- is
- is not
- Additionally, widespread precipitation is also occurring in:
- The Texas Gulf Coast
- Southern California
- Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin
- All of these locations
- All but b