Clutter in weather radar refers to unwanted radar yields or echoes that do not originate from the atmospheric phenomena of interest, such as precipitation or storm systems. It includes reflections from non-meteorological sources like terrain features, buildings, birds, insects or even electromagnetic interference. Clutter in weather radar can obscure the detection of actual weather features such as rain, snow, or hail, affecting the accuracy of weather forecasts and observations.
Storm clutter refers specifically to radar yields that appear as clutter due to intense precipitation or severe weather conditions in a storm system. These radar echoes can come from heavy rain, hail, or strong winds in a storm. Storm clutter may appear similar to real weather features, but usually has characteristics that distinguish it from real weather echoes, such as rapid changes in intensity or irregular patterns. Effective storm clutter mitigation techniques are essential to improve the reliability of weather radar data during severe weather events.
Ground clutter in weather radar refers to radar yields from the Earth’s surface, including terrain features, buildings, vegetation, and other stationary objects. These echoes can be particularly problematic for weather radar systems operating at low altitudes, where the radar beam may encounter reflections from the ground within its beamwidth. Clutter on the ground can obscure or distort radar observations of precipitation and other weather phenomena, making it difficult to accurately interpret radar data near the radar site. Advanced signal processing techniques, such as clutter filtering and Doppler analysis, are used to mitigate the effects of ground clutter and improve the quality of weather radar observations.