“Radar meteorology” is an odd specialty in atmospheric science. As opposed to synoptic meteorology or cloud physics, its focus has been on the instrument from the start. Radar enabled us to observe and understand many previously unknown phenomena. What we could do with this wonderful tool drew together a vibrant community of researchers whose main point in common was the use or the development of radars for meteorology. The instrument became the center of this community. As a result, when radar meteorologists meet, many often talk about instrument characteristics such as frequency, beam width, and transmit power before they talk of science. Early influential textbooks reflected that state of affairs, and many current introductory ones follow the same mold: they tend to be very radar focused, even those that do not describe in great detail the radar and its workings, and they are not very application oriented, despite the fact that the very reason we use radars is for what it allows us to see and do, from meteorological studies to short-term forecasting. Introductions to satellite meteorology, another technically oriented specialty, have managed to free themselves from their heritage: textbooks on how to use satellite imagery can be found, as well as more traditional books focused on radiative transfer. But somehow, introductions to radar meteorology have failed to do so.

Yet, the average weather radar user has changed. Radar is an operational instrument in many countries. It offers the forecasters what is generally the best opportunity to detect rapidly developing storms, and the last one to evaluate whether the weather evolves as expected or not. Also, the twenty-first-century researcher has a different focus: while efforts to improve and better understand radar data remain the principal objective of a necessary core of specialists, the emphasis has shifted toward meteorology and how to make the best use of the rich information provided by radar. Traditional books introducing radar meteorology, and the courses that rely on them, have gradually become disconnected from this changing reality.