Wind farms, do show up on doppler radar. The more turbines in a location and the higher their elevation, the better the chances are that they will show up on radar. Here in WNY as an example, the wind farms found in Wyoming County produce a false signal on the radar display.
National Weather Service meteorologists are well aware of the signatures that are produced by the wind farms and adjust their detection strategies based on their experience with radar analysis.
You can learn more about the impact that wind farms have on the weather radar network at the following links:
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/buf/LakeBreeze/Winter0607.pdf
http://www.roc.noaa.gov/WSR88D/NNOW/NNowContent.aspx?Topic=WindFarmSoon
Thanks to Tom Niziol, Meteorologist-in-Charge, National Weather Service, Buffalo and Don Paul, Chief Meterologist, WIVB-TV Channel 4 for contributing to IWEC's "Ask the Expert."
