Find a map of national Doppler radar sites Doppler radars are an extremely complex and expensive piece of weather equipment, yet Doppler radar sites are located in almost every state. Most Doppler weather radar systems are operated by the National Weather Service, but some are operated by other organizations and television stations.

I recommend:  The National Weather Service has a great map that shows Doppler radar weather sites across the country. The University of Michigan has a similar map available for public use.

View current national Doppler radar images A national Doppler radar image can give you an idea of the current weather conditions anywhere in the country. It can also show you what types of storm systems are heading your way in the next few days.

I recommend:  Weather Underground provides an easy-to-use national Doppler radar map. Just click on a region of the county, and you'll get the current Doppler radar image for that region. For another source of a national Doppler radar map, check out the website run by Weather Channel Interactive. The site gives you a nationwide look at up-to-the-minute weather conditions.

View local Doppler radar images If you need to make an instant decision about a job or event, you're going to want to check out a local Doppler radar image. These pictures, provided by a network of Doppler weather radars across the country, are excellent for detailing exactly where a storm is located.

I recommend:  For a great source of local Doppler radar images, take a look at goWally.com. The website lists hundreds of Doppler radars. Just click on the one you want to view an image. WSI Corporation provides local Doppler radar images on its Intellicast.com website. From the linked page, use the scroll bar under the "Current Radar" heading to chose the city you would like to view.

Monitor your city's weather with local Doppler radar Miss your local weather report? With live local Doppler radar, you can see any storms that might move into your area--and you can see them at any time, from anywhere, as you as you have access to the Internet.

I recommend:  Find real-time Doppler radar maps at Intellicast and local Doppler radar maps at AccuWeather.

Check national Doppler radar before traveling Wondering what clothes to pack for your trip to another state or even country? Worried about the weather disturbances that plague some areas of the world, occurrences such as typhoons or tornadoes? A check of national Doppler radar sites can alert you to any potential problems, before you board your flight or leave your hotel room.

I recommend:  Start with a check of the National Weather Service Doppler radar. Most local weather agencies and television stations have their own Doppler radars, but they also refer to images from the National Weather Service, the agency that issues weather warnings for the entire country. Also look at The Weather Channel's Weather.com website or the USA Today site.

Get instant notification of severe weather, with alerts from Doppler radar sites Most weather sites offer email and text message alerts for when a weather advisory is issued. You can sign up only for alerts for your own county or for your entire state, and have the information sent directly to your inbox or cell phone.

I recommend:  Your local television station's weather center probably offers e-mail and cell phone alerts, which you can sign up for online. For example, KWTV News 9 in Oklahoma City offers I-News, a desktop application that alerts you to severe weather. Or, purchase software such as StormPredator, which includes NEXRAD Doppler radar and email, pager and cell phone alerts. Download a free 30-day trial version.