KNMI operates two Doppler weather radars built by Gematronik, one in De Bilt and one in Den Helder. They are used for the measurement of precipitation over the Netherlands and the surrounding area.

These C-band radars emit and receive radio waves with a frequency of about 6 GHz and with a wavelength close to 5 cm. The Doppler radars can be used in two different ways: as a conventional radar where the intensity of the received, scattered radio waves is measured and as a genuine Doppler radar where the velocity distribution of the scattering particles is measured.