Definition
A weather radar display setting that determines how finely the radar return is shown on the screen, controlling the level of detail visible in precipitation echoes. Higher resolution settings reveal smaller-scale structure within a weather cell, while lower resolution settings smooth the picture and may hide gaps or fine variations in intensity.
Plain English
How sharp or detailed the weather picture is on the radar screen. A high-resolution view shows small features inside a storm; a low-resolution view shows the storm as a smoother, blockier shape.
Context Anchor
Seen when using an electronic flight display or multi-function display to view cockpit weather information, especially radar-based rain or storm images.
Derivation
From Latin resolutio, meaning 'a breaking down into parts.' In a display, resolution is how finely the picture is broken down into detail — the more parts, the sharper the image.
Why Pilots Care
Allows pilots to distinguish fine-scale weather features such as storm cells or precipitation gradients that affect route and altitude choices.
Analogy
It is like zooming in on a low-detail photo. The photo gets bigger on the screen, but it does not gain new detail that was not there in the first place.
Grounding Statement
A blocky weather image may still represent real weather, but the exact edge of the rain or storm may not be where the screen appears to show it.
Intuition Check
Do not read “resolution” here as solving a problem or making a decision. In this context, it means the amount of visible detail in the displayed weather picture.
Example Sentence 1
Before entering an area of convective weather, the pilot selected a higher resolution display to better see the structure of the cells ahead.
Example Sentence 2
Using resolution display helped identify a narrow gap between two weather returns before deviating.