An experimental study of glacier ice detection in rain using X-band radar is presented. The radar data were collected in the Greenland Sea region in August 2013, using a cross-polarized X-band radar, capable of simultaneously measuring co- and cross-polarized backscattered waves. The system was deployed on the Oden, a Swedish icebreaker. During the deployment, raw co- and cross-polarized radar data were collected, including data from heavy ice states with bergy bits and growlers in rain.The rain clutter is improved by using the cross-polarization signal. The probability of detection of several growlers and bergy bits are obtained for both the co- and cross-polarized radar signals in rain. Comparing the detection performance of the co-polarized and cross-polarized signals shows that the cross-polarized radar signal improves the detection of small glacier ice in rain at close ranges out to 5.5 nmi.