Published January 31, 2022
Do weather conditions affect GPS accuracy?
We know that GPS (Global Positioning System) was originally developed as a military application, but has since been mainstreamed to meet consumer needs.
We also know that it is a satellite navigation and surveying system designed to locate someone or something in three-dimensional space. The location power of GPS is extremely precise; the same cannot be said about the weather... The question therefore arises: Does snow, sun, wind or any other weather condition affect the accuracy of GPS?
The answer is "yes and no". Although certain atmospheric conditions such as rain or snow can weaken the GPS signal, they generally do not affect GPS reception, but this may still apply to antenna positioning. If your GPS tracking antenna is covered with a thick layer of ice or snow, the accuracy level may drop. It is also possible that when battery-powered GPS devices are cold, due to weather conditions, they emit less power, resulting in signal degradation.
Certain obstacles can also affect GPS accuracy. You can find out more in our white paper - "Where to place the Digiparc GPS terminal inside a vehicle?"
