There are some unique challenges with the operational use of radar in Scotland:
- The radar coverage is inconsistent across the country, particularly in Dumfries and Galloway and the Highlands, including Inverness
- The mountainous nature of the landscape means that the radar might not be able to “see” in all directions as the beam is blocked by hills
- The post processing algorithms do not fully account for orographic enhancement of rainfall over high ground
- Radar doesn’t perform very well when it is snowing due to the different reflective properties of snow compared to rain
However, radar remains a vital tool in flood forecasting as Linda Speight reports on floodforecastingservice.net