Do weather conditions affect the accuracy of the GPS?

2022-01-31T23:00:00.000Z

We know that GPS (Global Positioning System) was originally developed as a military application, but has since been generalized to meet consumer needs.

We also know that it is a satellite-based navigation and surveying system designed to locate someone or something in three-dimensional space.The locating power of GPS is extremely accurate; the same cannot be said for weather... So the question arises: Does snow, sun, wind or any other weather condition affect the accuracy of GPS?

The answer is "yes and no". Although certain weather conditions such as rain or snow can weaken the GPS signal, they don't usually affect GPS reception, but they can affect the antenna's position. If your GPS tracking antenna is covered by a thick layer of ice or snow, the accuracy level may be reduced. It's also possible that when battery-powered GPS devices are cold, due to weather conditions, they emit less power, causing the signal to degrade.

Certain obstacles can also affect the accuracy of the GPS. You can learn more in our white paper - "Where to place Digiparc's GPS terminal inside a vehicle?"