What can our WX radar not detect?

• A. Clear-air turbulence (CAT)
• B. Clouds
• C. Lightning
• D. Precipitation

Answer: (A)

Weather radar works by sending microwave energy and listening for reflections from moisture in the air. It’s best at showing where precipitation is falling and how strong it is, and Doppler versions can reveal wind motion inside storms. It can sometimes see clouds that contain enough droplets to reflect the signal, but it struggles with very thin or dry cloud cover. It does not use the same signals to detect lightning, which is tracked by dedicated sensors. The reason clear-air turbulence isn’t detectable by a typical WX radar is that it occurs in air with little or no moisture, so there aren’t enough particles to reflect the radar energy. Without sufficient reflectivity, turbulence in clear air isn’t revealed by the radar, making it the best answer.