Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for detecting Partial Discharge (PD) associated with wide bandgap semiconductor-based electrical drive systems in real time. In one aspect, signals, including noise associated with drive switching and other background noises are detected using a sensing device. The signals are received by a real-time spectrum analyzer. The spectrum analyzer transforms the signals into the frequency domain and determines or registers the frequency domain profiles of the signals. The spectrum analyzer performs signal discrimination between at least one other signal included within the signals and switching noise based on their frequency domain profiles. Based on the discrimination analysis, the presence of a partial discharge signal may be detected. A physics-based signal discrimination approach can also be used for signal discrimination, for example utilizing pressure-dependency of characteristics of a PD signal.