Precipitation Static and Corona Discharge

Precipitation static is an almost continuous hash-type noise that often accompanies various kinds of precipitation, including snowfall. Precipitation static is caused by rain drops, snowflakes or even wind- blown dust, transferring a small electrical charge on contact with an antenna. Electrical fields under thunderstorms are sufficient to place many objects such as trees, hair and antennas, into corona dis- charge. Corona noise may sound like a harsh crackling in the radio—building in intensity, abruptly ending, and then building again, in cycles of a few seconds to as long as a minute. A corona charge on an antenna may build to some critical level and then discharge in the atmosphere with an audible pop before recharging. Precipitation static and corona discharge can be a nuisance from LF to well into the VHF range.