us weather service doppler radar in motion

US WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN MOTION GENERATOR

The Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) workstation, allows forecasters to display radar data(top picture).

US WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN MOTION GENERATOR

The processing computer, known as the Radar Product Generator (RPG), performs various data quality checks of the raw radar data and creates radar images and products.

The returned energy, called base data, is sent from the RDA site to the processing computer located here in the office(bottom picture). Part of the energy will be reflected back to the antenna, where the dish focuses the returned energy. When this energy hits an object, like a raindrop or snowflake, it is reflected in all directions. The transmitter at the antenna within this protective dome sends out a pulse of energy. The radar dish (pictured above) is protected by a covering that resembles a giant soccer ball. It all starts at the Radar Data Acquisition unit (RDA), which is the tower (pictured above) located adjacent to the forecast office.

Radar requires three integral parts to work: (1) an antenna/receiver, (2) computers that process the raw radar data, and (3) an interactive workstation that the forecasters can use to display the processed radar data. The term WSR-88D is simple to explain: WSR stands for Weather Surveillance Radar 88 represents the year the first NEXRAD was commissioned for use (1988) and the D means it is a Doppler radar.

Within the National Weather Service, NEXRAD is officially called the WSR-88D. In this way, the radar images can be shared with all interested groups. News agencies, television stations, military installations and other sites have access to the radar images through cooperation with the National Weather Service. The National Weather Service's Doppler radar, known as NEXRAD (for the NEXt generation of RADar), is the only Doppler weather radar on Long Island.

Us weather service doppler radar in motion