Before you trust the radar: check the time, location and limits

Check when the picture was made

Start with the scan time printed on the image or displayed in the viewer. Compare it with the current time and check the time zone. A page reload and the radar observation are different events: refreshing a page does not prove a newer scan is available.

Our suggested habit is to read the time before reading the colors. If you cannot establish the image’s age, use the full NWS viewer and official forecast rather than assuming it is current.

Find your location before interpreting a color

Identify your town and the area you plan to travel through. A regional image covers a much larger area than one address. On the full NWS viewer, choose the location and radar view that answer your question; avoid interpreting a distant patch as rain directly overhead.

Use the legend for the selected product

Reflectivity measures the strength of the returned radar signal; stronger returns generally suggest heavier precipitation. Velocity is a different product that describes movement toward or away from the radar. The same color can therefore mean different things on different displays.

Read the product name and legend before making a judgment. Do not use a reflectivity picture alone to diagnose a tornado or assign a storm’s severity.

Allow for what radar cannot show

Radar can detect objects other than rain, including birds and other targets. Its beam also samples higher above the ground at greater distances. The picture is an observation with limits, not a direct measurement of every street’s conditions.

If the map conflicts with what you see, check other observations and the official forecast. An empty or missing image should be treated as missing information, not clear weather.

Turn the picture into a useful question

Instead of asking ‘Is this color bad?’, ask ‘What does the latest forecast and any current alert say about the place and time I care about?’ For an afternoon trip, read the hourly forecast for that period and use radar as supporting context.

Use NewsCubby’s local weather forecast and NOAA radar to compare the forecast, official notices and radar image. Before flying, add flight tracking and FAA airport status to your checks. Signed-in members can return to My Day for their personal overview. Open the full NWS radar for a wider view, and follow official warning instructions even when an image looks reassuring.