How the weather radar works on the Boeing 737. Weather radar is a vital piece of safety equipment that enables pilots to detect hazardous weather ahead of the aircraft.Weather radar works by transmitting electromagnetic pulses at the speed of light and then measuring how long they take to return from a target.The radar antenna is located in the nose of the aircraft and scans left and right in a continuous sweep.This provides the crew with a bearing and distance of the weather relative to the air