Odd Foreflight radar image

[Pilawt]

For the last few days the radar image on Foreflight has shown a pattern of isolated, intense precip in the northern Cascades east of Bellingham, WA, and up into the Vancouver BC area. The pattern has been stationary on FF, but doesn't show up at all on NWS radar -- and there are no clouds in the area.

What gives?

 

[BillTIZ]

I just checked my FF in that ara and et the exact same radar depiction.

I'd send a note to FF and ask, with the screenshot.

 

[Piloto]

It may be nothing wrong with the Foreflight but with the ground UAT station. Maybe related to the government shutdown. Check with others in the area with different ADS-B\UAT devices. Be careful since it may as well show clear weather where there is acitvity. Double check with your smartphone.

José

 

[Pilawt]

I just checked my FF in that ara and et the exact same radar depiction.

I'd send a note to FF and ask, with the screenshot.

Good idea. Done.

 

[AggieMike88]

I'll also report that as of this posting time, seeing the same radar depiction

 

[Pilawt]

E-mail just received from Josh at Foreflight. True to reports I've heard, they responded very quickly to my question:

We heard back from our Radar provider about this phenomenon: "It looks like the echoes align with mountain tops. Looking at model sounding from the area, there are a couple of inversions, which supports the idea of the Victoria radar beam super-refracting into the mountains. I will have our team look into what we can do. Thank you for bringing this to our attention."​

Edit: Indeed, the source of this artifact appears to be the Victoria radar. See image below.

 

[BillTIZ]

It may be nothing wrong with the Foreflight but with the ground UAT station. Maybe related to the government shutdown. Check with others in the area with different ADS-B\UAT devices. Be careful since it may as well show clear weather where there is acitvity. Double check with your smartphone.

José

When I am accessing FF from my living room in NV over wifi internet access. I don't think it's and ads-B UAT device issue.

 

[Pilawt]

Bingo! Thanks, Scott!

 

[BillTIZ]

E-mail just received from Josh at Foreflight. True to reports I've heard, they responded very quickly to my question:

We heard back from our Radar provider about this phenomenon: "It looks like the echoes align with mountain tops. Looking at model sounding from the area, there are a couple of inversions, which supports the idea of the Victoria radar beam super-refracting into the mountains. I will have our team look into what we can do. Thank you for bringing this to our attention."​

Edit: Indeed, the source of this artifact appears to be the Victoria radar. See image below.

I've seen refraction with mountains etc, even with inversions aloft, but normally the radar reflection moves throughout the day. I noted no difference in the reflections, hours apart.

 

[Piloto]

If the WX is not moving or changing is an indication of WX not getting updated. What you are probably seen is the last WX update. WX is always changing.

José

 

[Pilawt]

If the WX is not moving or changing is an indication of WX not getting updated. What you are probably seen is the last WX update. WX is always changing.

But, with one or two exceptions here in the Northwest, mountains don't move, and that's apparently what we're seeing here. The video Scott linked above would seem to explain it.

 

[Piloto]

But, with one or two exceptions here in the Northwest, mountains don't move, and that's apparently what we're seeing here. The video Scott linked above would seem to explain it.

At this NWS Radar picture http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=ATX&product=NCR&overlay=11101111&loop=yes

in loop mode wx reflection is continuosly changing.

José

 

[Pilawt]

At this NWS Radar picture http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=ATX&product=NCR&overlay=11101111&loop=yes

in loop mode wx reflection is continuosly changing.

That's ground clutter picked up by the Seattle radar. There is no precip in the Pacific Northwest today.

The fixed echoes on Foreflight are mountaintops as seen by the Victoria radar. The Canadian radar feeds are handled differently. Look at Scott's video.

 

[Piloto]

That's ground clutter picked up by the Seattle radar. There is no precip in the Pacific Northwest today.

The fixed echoes on Foreflight are mountaintops as seen by the Victoria radar. The Canadian radar feeds are handled differently. Look at Scott's video.

You would think that an american system such as ADS-B\WX would use NWS radars. This gives more reason to check WX on my Samsung S3.

José

 

[Skylane81E]

You would think that an american system such as ADS-B\WX would use NWS radars. This gives more reason to check WX on my Samsung S3.

José

It isn't ADSB radar

 

[Henning]

E-mail just received from Josh at Foreflight. True to reports I've heard, they responded very quickly to my question:

We heard back from our Radar provider about this phenomenon: "It looks like the echoes align with mountain tops. Looking at model sounding from the area, there are a couple of inversions, which supports the idea of the Victoria radar beam super-refracting into the mountains. I will have our team look into what we can do. Thank you for bringing this to our attention."​

Edit: Indeed, the source of this artifact appears to be the Victoria radar. See image below.

BLAME CANADA!!!

 

[Piloto]

I went today to my hangar and look at the XM weather at Vicoria Canada on my 560 an could not see any mountain reflection. I also noticed how well defined and uncluttered is the Aera 560 image vs Foreflight.

José