User Guide

Garmin G1000 Pilot’s Guide for Cessna Citation Mustang
190-00494-00 Rev. B6-32
HAZARD AVOIDANCE
RADAR SIGNAL REFLECTIVITY
PRECIPITATION
Precipitation or objects more dense than water, such as earth or solid structures, will be detected by the
weather radar. The weather radar will not detect clouds, thunderstorms or turbulence directly. It detects
precipitation associated with clouds, thunderstorms, and turbulence. The best radar signal reflectors are
raindrops, wet snow, or wet hail. The larger the raindrop the better it reflects. The size of the precipitation
droplet is the most important factor in radar reflectivity. Because large drops in a small concentrated area
are characteristic of a severe thunderstorm, the radar displays the storm as a strong return. Ice, dry snow,
and dry hail have low levels of reflectivity (Figure 6-36) and often will not be displayed by the radar.
Additionally, a cloud that contains only small raindrops, such as fog or drizzle, will not reflect enough radar
energy to produce a measurable target return.
Figure 6-36 Precipitation Type and Reflectivity