Wind Farms showing up on weather radar

[czenzel]

Thanks for putting up this thread. Me and some of my geek friends have been trying to get confirmation of this phenom, for about 2 months now !!

We starting noticing on TWC Local Radar (we're in the Western PA/MD/WV area) an oscillating area of pseudo-precipitation just south of Altoona, PA. We would see it from time to time, and wonder what was wrong. We started calling it the "Altoona Wiggle", and after about a week or two I realized that there is a large area of wind farms, along the highest ridge tops in the Allegheny Mountains, largely between PA Routes 219 and 160 extending to north of the PA Turnpike, corresponding to the area where we see the wiggle. Seemed Like more than a coincidence! Thanks again for posting !

Probably millions of people see this on the radar, -- Anybody else seen it ?

Just Wondering - Truman

I am looking at the KCCX radar from State College and I think I see what you mean by the wind farms. It looks like for the past few minutes the same spot on the radar has some interference from wind farms south of Altoona. It is even shown on the National Weather Service web site.

I am posting a screenshot of what I got from GRLevel3.



It is between Cambria and Blair counties.

Let me know if this is what you are seeing.

Thanks,
Christopher Zenzel

 

[sebenste]

And while it does look unsightly to some people, what chaser wouldn't want to be at the right spot when a tornado hits a wind farm? Oh, you want wind, do you? :-D Irony can be pretty ironic sometimes. ;-)

 

[Mike Boik]

I recently look at my radar on KLOT which covers the area I live in. KLOT picks up the wind farms south of Marseilles Illinois. However it doesn't seem as turbulent as other farms in the screenshots.

 

[ScottKoenig]

And while it does look unsightly to some people, what chaser wouldn't want to be at the right spot when a tornado hits a wind farm? Oh, you want wind, do you? :-D Irony can be pretty ironic sometimes. ;-)

Almost happened last year in Western Kansas, at the Central Plains Wind Farm near Scott City, KS. I work for the company that owns the wind farm and this shot was taken by another employee that works at the site. For those who don't know the turbines will go into a "lock down" mode at 58 mph (braking) but that is to prevent straight line wind damage, I'm sure a tornado would be much different. I talked to the Manager in depth about severe weather damaging the Turbines he told me the biggest concern is large hail and direct lightning strikes.

 

[Matt Tottle]

Also for those who don't understand how important that braking system is, this is what happens when it fails..



Imagine how far that thing chucked parts, and that was from just a regular old wind storm..

 

[Bob Hartig]

I doubt that brakes are going to make an iota of difference when some big, violent wedge goes plowing through the middle of one of those wind farms. And you know it's going to happen. It's not a matter of if, but when.

 

[TrumanBoyer]

I am looking at the KCCX radar from State College and I think I see what you mean by the wind farms. It looks like for the past few minutes the same spot on the radar has some interference from wind farms south of Altoona. It is even shown on the National Weather Service web site.

I am posting a screenshot of what I got from GRLevel3.

View attachment 5575

It is between Cambria and Blair counties.

Let me know if this is what you are seeing.

Thanks,
Christopher Zenzel

Christopher,

BINGO ! That is exactly what I'm talking about, but note I made a mistake, I meant to say between PA 219 and 220.

On Weather Channel Radar loop (TV, not web) the "false" echo looks like it wiggles back and forth. Much like the Pennsylvania Legislature. (LOL) When one of my friends first saw it, he said "that must be a reflection off the State Assembly buildings".

-T

 

[joel ewing]

My late grandparents had a farm just south of Petersburg near Loretto, where I spent a great deal of time growing up. I hate to see those wind farms go up around there. I
Why would an inversion help the Omaha radar see these? Thanks

 

[GPhillips]

Why would an inversion help the Omaha radar see these? Thanks

Super-refraction of the radar beam under some non-standard atmospheric conditions.

http://wdtb.noaa.gov/courses/dloc/topic3/lesson1/Section5/Section5-3.html

 

[Toni Scholz]

Solano, CA Wind Farm

This wind farm is in southern Solano county, east of San Francisco. Screenshot taken from GR3. http://bit.ly/eEhPMW

In the summer, when cool air rushes through the pass where this "farm" sits, to replace the hot rising air of the central valley, I've seen it register 55+ dBZ on the KDAX radar.