Narrative:

Severe thunderstorm east of dfw. Routed over fsm then direct mlu (our destination). As we approached fsm heard PIREPS of severe/moderate turbulence east of fsm associated with line of thunderstorms. My radar just was not displaying the kind of returns I expected to see considering the reports ahead. There were very little returns displayed and no color. Over fsm center informed us of an air carrier aircraft 80 mi ahead doing a 180 degree turn due to severe WX and being unable to find path through WX. At this point I concluded that my WX radar was no working properly and as we encountered moderate turbulence and rain in an area of embedded thunderstorms just past fsm I did a 180 degree turn because I did not feel it was safe to continue because WX and our radar's performance. The first officer informed center of our turn. At this point communication with ZME was difficult due to static electricity because of moderate rain. Within about 60 mi our communication problems with center disappeared and we returned to dfw. Center was informed immediately of our 180 degree turn because of thunderstorm, however at that point radio communication was spotty and difficult. Center eventually provided us with suggested headings and a course to dfw.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TSTM ACTIVITY - ACR ENCOUNTERS TSTMS, MODERATE TURB AND MODERATE RAIN AND THEIR RADAR MALFUNCTIONS AND THEIR RADIO SUFFERS SOME INTERFERENCE SO THEY TURN AROUND AND LEAVE THE AREA. THEY INFORM THE CTLR AS SOON AS THE RADIO INTERFERENCE CLRS.

Narrative: SEVERE TSTM E OF DFW. ROUTED OVER FSM THEN DIRECT MLU (OUR DEST). AS WE APCHED FSM HEARD PIREPS OF SEVERE/MODERATE TURB E OF FSM ASSOCIATED WITH LINE OF TSTMS. MY RADAR JUST WAS NOT DISPLAYING THE KIND OF RETURNS I EXPECTED TO SEE CONSIDERING THE RPTS AHEAD. THERE WERE VERY LITTLE RETURNS DISPLAYED AND NO COLOR. OVER FSM CTR INFORMED US OF AN ACR ACFT 80 MI AHEAD DOING A 180 DEG TURN DUE TO SEVERE WX AND BEING UNABLE TO FIND PATH THROUGH WX. AT THIS POINT I CONCLUDED THAT MY WX RADAR WAS NO WORKING PROPERLY AND AS WE ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURB AND RAIN IN AN AREA OF EMBEDDED TSTMS JUST PAST FSM I DID A 180 DEG TURN BECAUSE I DID NOT FEEL IT WAS SAFE TO CONTINUE BECAUSE WX AND OUR RADAR'S PERFORMANCE. THE FO INFORMED CTR OF OUR TURN. AT THIS POINT COM WITH ZME WAS DIFFICULT DUE TO STATIC ELECTRICITY BECAUSE OF MODERATE RAIN. WITHIN ABOUT 60 MI OUR COM PROBS WITH CTR DISAPPEARED AND WE RETURNED TO DFW. CTR WAS INFORMED IMMEDIATELY OF OUR 180 DEG TURN BECAUSE OF TSTM, HOWEVER AT THAT POINT RADIO COM WAS SPOTTY AND DIFFICULT. CTR EVENTUALLY PROVIDED US WITH SUGGESTED HDGS AND A COURSE TO DFW.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.