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Improving the radars to detect tornadoes
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2003 7:01 am
by cycloneye
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories/s1132.htm
New systems for the radars are going to be implemented soon to detect tornadoes and severe weather so that will be very helpful for the people at tornadoe alley.
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2003 7:13 am
by wx247
Great story Luis! Thanks for sharing.
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2003 3:40 pm
by Colin
Great news! Thanks for sharing, Luis!
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2003 5:28 pm
by polarbear
If successful, this "phased-array" radar will become the next generation Weather Surviellence Radar for the U.S. National Weather Service.
The phased-array radar scans the entire volume of the current WSR-88D radars, and much more. The construction of the antenna allows for it to scan without "tilting" up and down, which means it can make a full volume scan in about 1/5th the amount of time it takes the current 88D radars. It will also be able to scan lower on the horizon and may eliminate the 'cone of silence' phenomenon. However, to increase early tornado detection, I believe we will need more radar sites than the current WSR-88D network provides. Even if we operate all our 88D radars at 0.0 degree elevation, we still wouldn't be able to scan close enough to the ground in large areas to detect low level mesocyclone formation.
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2003 12:02 am
by ColdFront77
Sound great, polarbear. I would like to see this new radar, scanning in about a 1/5th the amount of time it take the current 88D radars to scan.