Plain English Meaning

Equipment that helps a pilot find thunderstorms in the air around them so they can stay clear. Some of this equipment looks for heavy rain, and some looks for lightning. Each method shows part of the storm, not the whole thing.

Full Definition

The use of airborne or ground-based equipment to locate, identify, and track thunderstorm activity so it can be avoided. The two primary tools are airborne weather radar, which detects precipitation by sending out radio energy and measuring what bounces back from rain, hail, or wet , and the (or lightning ), which senses the electrical discharges produced by lightning. Each tool shows a different aspect of a storm, and neither alone gives a complete picture.