What Causes ‘Static’ on the Radio When It Rains?

Rain makes static on the radio. When it rains, water droplets in the air act like little antennas that catch the radio signals. But sometimes they also mess up the signal and make a lot of noise, that's what we call static! It's kind of like when you're trying to listen to your friend on the phone, but someone else starts talking at the same time, making it hard to hear what your friend is saying.

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Examples

  1. A rainy day makes your radio sound like it’s being shouted over by a crowd.
  2. Listening to the radio during a storm is like trying to hear your friend's voice through a loudspeaker at a concert.
  3. Your favorite song gets drowned out by noise when raindrops interrupt the signal.

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