Why on cloudy days do some radio stations come in better than non cloudy days??

Answer 1

Radio waves use the atmosphere to bounce off of to gain distance much like the way Ham and CB radios use it for shooting skip ( long distance transmissions ) so when there are clouds it acts like a filter or like the atmosphere depending on the amount of clouds and will change the angle of the radio waves, the angle will depend on the elevation of the clouds, hope this helped.

Answer 2

There is no reason why clouds should have any affect on radio propagation at the AM and FM frequencies. What would cause the signal strength to change is if it was raining which would give the transmitting station a more conductive ground and less signal loss. If somehow the clouds correlated with either rain or ground moisture content then your observation would make sense. As far as the lady hearing radios on LA from San Diego, that's caused by ducting due to the difference in air density between the marine air (fog) and higher up. It works like a waveguide.

Answer 3

I don't know but. This use to happen to me. I use to work at the Federal Prison here in San Diego, Ca. some times when it was foggy and I was working the outside perimeter patrol. I could hear the towers officers talking on their radios in Terminal Island, Ca. That's up in the L.A. area. Go figure, I think it has to do with the way the signal carry lower and you can hear then better. I really think that between fog/clouds like condictions it pushes the signals down closer to the ground level and it causes it to become clearer. Sounds good if all else, hey?? I know that some one will know the reason why it does this, and really be able to answer it.

I use to get a good laugh when I could hear them, but they didn't know that I could hear them. I could never respond back to them though, as they couldn't hear me. It was odd.

Answer 4

relies upon on how cloudy. I certainly have a pair of prescription glasses in my automobile for employing (they are no longer required, only makes issues plenty clearer). So if this is purely slightly overcast, which potential no sunlight yet nonetheless vivid sufficient to be certain with my sunlight colours, i will positioned on them.

Answer 5

radio waves get distorted by the clouds. The clouds cause the radio waves to scatter more. It just depends on what frequency you are on.

Answer 6

The moisture takes the trash out of the air.Makes for better reception.