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Which atmospheric conditions do weather forecasters measure?

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Weather forecasting Doppler radars, such as this one operated by the U.S. National Weather Service at New Underwood, South Dakota, extract the Doppler frequency shift of the echo produced by a moving target by noting how much the frequency of the received signal differs from the frequency of the signal that was transmitted.

To accurately predict the weather, meteorologists measure several fundamental atmospheric elements to establish the current state of the atmosphere. These primary measurements include:

Temperature: A critical indicator of atmospheric energy and stability.123
Atmospheric Pressure: The weight of the air above a given area, which helps identify high- and low-pressure systems that drive weather patterns.143
Wind: Both speed and direction are measured to track atmospheric motion and circulation.123
Humidity and Dew-Point Temperature: These measurements indicate the amount of water vapour in the air and are essential for predicting cloud formation and precipitation.1235

These variables are collected using various technologies, including radiosondes (balloon-borne instruments), radar, satellites, and surface-based stations. By gathering this data simultaneously across large regions—a practice known as synoptic meteorology—forecasters can input these values into numerical weather prediction models to calculate how atmospheric conditions will evolve over time. Additionally, specialized measurements such as lightning detection and precipitation intensity are used to monitor severe weather events like thunderstorms and tornadoes.12367