On Mon, 15 Jan 2007 21:45:35 -0500, "John R. Copeland"
wrote:

Resonance is not a factor, but electrical conductivity of the
frozen crystal is much lower than conductivity of liquid water.
Hence, water reflects radar much better than ice.

Can there be more than that?

Back to my question, heavy snow and light rain, the two can have the
same "electrical conductivity". Especially if the temperature is near
zero and there's some liquid water present in the snow. We're talking
"light" rain here too.

Yet WSI makes a distinct differentiation here. While NOAA doesn't on
their adds weather site.

Further WSI has a category for "mixed" precip. If they are only using
the power of the radar return, how can they determine that there's
some snow mixed in with the much more powerful return from rain?

Stan