Weather Dictionary / Glossary of Terms

Hail Contamination


   Weather TermDescription / Definition
   Hail Contamination A limitation in NEXRAD rainfall estimates whereby abnormally high reflectivities associated with hail are converted to rainfall rates and rainfall accumulations. These high reflectivity values are mistaken by the radar for extremely heavy rain, thus "contaminating" (inflating) its estimation of how much rain has fallen over the affected area.


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Data courtesy of NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration