Collecting weather, climate, ocean and water data
Our extensive observation network collects data from sea, land, sky and space using a range of specialist equipment.
Radars and other observing equipment deliver data vital to public weather services. This includes the rain radar and weather map, forecasts, warnings, climate monitoring, and more.
In this section, explore:
- how weather radars work, including Doppler radars, and how to understand radar images
- weather balloons and radiosondes, and what to do if you find one
- flood, river and rain gauges, including snow gauges and how to take your own observations
- manual and automatic weather stations
- meteorological satellites, including geostationary and polar-orbiting satellites
- the buoys, floats and ships we use to collect marine observations.