Microwave scattering and emission behavior of snow and soil with locally and temporally varying parameters, such as moisture content, surface roughness and subsurface structure, is determined by absorption, surface scattering and volume scattering. Various concepts in either of these regimes have been put forward during recent years. Some of them are well-supported by experimental results. More emphasis has recently been put to investigations of the dielectric properties and its relation to volume scattering. A few highlights of the recent developments in modelling of microwave scatterers, and emission properties of snow and soil are summarized in this presentation and some new investigations are discussed.