Question for any meteorologist?

Question

why is it that it says that each hour, it will rain, including the current one, and there is not a drop of rain (according to the doppler radar) in the 1000 mile radius of my town? i am not trying to offend anyone but everytime it says that it will rain, it does not, in the whole chicago area, not just my town. i am wondering where does these predictions come from. Today the forecast for my town is strong hail, strong winds, severe thunderstorms and cloudy (with a severe thunderstorm watch in effect for 4 hours) why is the sky 100% blue and when i watch the doppler radar, i dont see any storms developing anywhere?? give me some info please. thanks

Answer 1

I'm not a meteorologist (yet), but I can help you out here. Meteorologists forecast when the events might start taking place. That is done by examining surface maps, upper air charts, satellite imagery, radar, and forecast models. That, along with other useful items, weather forecasters are able to predict when storms will arrive in a particular area. Even though something is not on a radar at a given point in time, that does not mean it will not be there later. Thunderstorms have to form somewhere where the conditions are favorable. I don't know where you are right now, but perhaps you are in the path of the cold front.