Embodiments of the present invention provide for improved estimation of environmental parameters in a dual-polarization radar system. In some embodiments, environmental parameters can be estimated using a linear combination of data received in two orthogonal polarization states. In particular, embodiments of the invention improve ground clutter and noise mitigation in dual polarization radar systems. Moreover, embodiments of the invention also provide for systems to determine the differential reflectivity and/or the magnitude of the co-polar correlation coefficient and the differential phase in a dual polarization radar system.