Weather radar looks intimidating, but you only need to understand three things to read it like a forecaster.

First, color means intensity: greens are light rain, yellows are moderate, reds are heavy, and purples usually mean hail. Second, motion matters more than snapshots — loop the last hour and you’ll see where the system is actually heading. Third, watch for shape: a solid line of red marching east is a front; scattered blobs that bloom and fade in place are pop-up showers.

Master those three and you’ll trust your own radar read over the app’s icon forecast.