What type of information does secondary radar lack that primary radar typically includes?

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Secondary radar operates differently from primary radar in that it relies on transmitted signals being emitted by an aircraft's transponder, rather than bouncing signals off the aircraft itself as primary radar does. This fundamental difference means that secondary radar systems can gather specific information based on the signals received from transponders.

While secondary radar can provide a range of information, including altitude and flight path data, it typically does not include weather conditions. Weather conditions are often gathered through other means such as weather radar systems or meteorological reports, which are separate from the radar used for aircraft tracking. Therefore, the lack of weather condition information is characteristic of secondary radar when compared to primary radar that may incidentally capture weather targets through reflected signals.