Cloudy with a chance of moths: bogong swarms are bamboozling weather radars across NSW
Large swarms of migrating bogong moths are interfering with weather radar systems across New South Wales, causing them to register false rain signals. Meteorologists note that the insects' bodies reflect radar pulses similarly to water droplets.
Why it matters
This phenomenon demonstrates the intersection of environmental migration patterns and technological limitations in meteorological monitoring.
Bogong moth storm … weather radars across NSW have been picking up swarms of the insect as rain. Bogong moth storm … weather radars across NSW have been picking up swarms of the insect as rain. Australian climate and environmental reporting Insects Cloudy with a chance of moths: bogong swarms are bamboozling weather radars across NSW Radar systems designed for rain, hail and snow are picking up bogong moths migrating to the Australian Alps
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About this content Petra Stock Sat 17 Oct 2026 00.00 BST Share Prefer the Guardian on Google It was during Sydney’s Olympic Games in 2000, people say, that a swarm of bogong moths attracted by stadium lights was so huge that meteorologists mistook it for rain.
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