About Dampier Radar

Dampier Radar has an unrestricted 360 degree view from its site 50 metres above sea level, and though no major permanent echoes appear, a small amount of low intensity clutter may be visible around parts of the coast and the islands surrounding Dampier and offshore to the west. Dampier Radar is susceptible to a small amount of false echoes on land during the dry months. These echoes are characterised by erratic movement and very low intensities. During the wet season between December and March anomalous propagation may cause significant false echoes to appear for distances up to 60 kilometres along the coastline and seaward of it. During the wet season (primarily January to March), thunderstorm clouds and cyclonic formations are generally well defined for distances up to approx 250 kilometres. Beyond that distance signal attenuation gives the appearance of less intensity than possibly exists. These formations are easily identified from false echoes by their regular rates in movement and direction. Thunderstorm activity can be viewed generally on a daily basis during the wet season, general preferred locations are in a trough line from the southwest to the southeast of Dampier/Karratha in and about the ranges. Heavy rain directly over the radar site can cause attenuation of all signals. Path attenuation can also occur when the radar beam passes through intense rainfall, with the returned signals from cells further along that path reduced.