Birdwatch Archive

Birdwatch Note

2025-07-29 14:41:34 UTC - MISINFORMED_OR_POTENTIALLY_MISLEADING

This is an example of anomalous propagation, specifically radar beam ducting due to superrefraction. High heat and humidity reduce the atmospheric refractive index with height, causing the radar beam to bend downward and reflect off the ground, producing false echoes. https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/anomalous-propagation https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/radar-beams https://www.meteor.iastate.edu/~jdduda/portfolio/How%20to%20read%20and%20interpret%20weather%20radar.pdf https://radarscope.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4416730029330-Ground-Clutter-and-Other-Stuff-What-You-Can-See-on-Radar-Other-Than-Rain https://www.meteor.iastate.edu/classes/mt432/lectures/ISURadarTalk_NWS_2013.pdf

Written by 55AC18E8A73A60B03F155142ADCD2F6B879BF7CEC30247F69D1997B3D4018EAE
Participant Details

All Information

• ID - 1950205063944642795
• noteId - 1950205063944642795
• participantId -
• noteAuthorParticipantId - 55AC18E8A73A60B03F155142ADCD2F6B879BF7CEC30247F69D1997B3D4018EAE
• createdAtMillis - 1753800094960
• tweetId - 1950144624892223815
• classification - MISINFORMED_OR_POTENTIALLY_MISLEADING
• believable -
• harmful -
• validationDifficulty -
• misleadingOther - 0
• misleadingFactualError - 1
• misleadingManipulatedMedia - 0
• misleadingOutdatedInformation - 0
• misleadingMissingImportantContext - 1
• misleadingUnverifiedClaimAsFact - 1
• misleadingSatire - 0
• notMisleadingOther - 0
• notMisleadingFactuallyCorrect - 0
• notMisleadingOutdatedButNotWhenWritten - 0
• notMisleadingClearlySatire - 0
• notMisleadingPersonalOpinion - 0
• trustworthySources - 1
• summary
• This is an example of anomalous propagation, specifically radar beam ducting due to superrefraction. High heat and humidity reduce the atmospheric refractive index with height, causing the radar beam to bend downward and reflect off the ground, producing false echoes. https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/anomalous-propagation https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/radar-beams https://www.meteor.iastate.edu/~jdduda/portfolio/How%20to%20read%20and%20interpret%20weather%20radar.pdf https://radarscope.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4416730029330-Ground-Clutter-and-Other-Stuff-What-You-Can-See-on-Radar-Other-Than-Rain https://www.meteor.iastate.edu/classes/mt432/lectures/ISURadarTalk_NWS_2013.pdf