A first glance at the "Next" generation of NEXRAD (Radar Next)

[Jeff Duda]

Something called "milestone 1" of this project has recently been reached.

I have no idea what that means other than that the next generation of weather radar in the US is one step closer to becoming reality.

See https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/2024-01/NOAA_Radar_Next-Radar_Next_Program_242901.pdf for more information

 

[Mike Smith]

I have no idea what that means other than that the next generation of weather radar in the US is one step closer to becoming reality.

Twenty more years for new radar hardware?????? Is NOAA kidding?! Look at the entire timeline. The emphasis is "beyond."

I don't know how much more evident is can be that the NWS desperately needs to be split off from NOAA. NOAA isn't even a serious science agency anymore, Biden's Order to NOAA, "Use Native American Wisdom" .

Thanks for posting, Jeff.

 

[James K]

Interesting but...
Considering the time before its up & operational, its unlikely I'll even ever get to see it.

 

[Mike Smith]

Just a FYI: Does everyone know you can call up Vaisala, Baron or EEC and say, "Please deliver me a C-band (TDWR) or S-band (-88D) radar as soon as possible," and they will have it installed in 3 months or less, assuming a suitable site has been chosen by the customer and there are no licensing issues with the FCC?

The idea that it is going to take 15-22 years to replace the -88D's is utterly absurd. If they are dead set on PAR (which I think is ridiculous because of the cost), go ahead and purchase off-the-shelf radars now, run them for 20 years and--hopefully--the PARs will start to come down in cost.

It is likely almost none of today's meteorologists or chasers remember the nightmare the WSR-57's had become due to them using tubes -- and that the only manufacturer of replacement tubes was in the Soviet Union. NWS finally put in a gap-filler network of WSR-74C radars which were very cheap and worked great.

Remember: KWTV in OKC installed the first operational Doppler radar in 1981. The NWS was 12-16 years (depending on installation dates) behind that, not because they couldn't purchase one off the shelf in the 80's but because they wanted a "customized" version.

The NWS's problem is that, for major systems, they -- like the military -- want to fill it with non-essential bells and whistles that drive the costs way up and take years to design and manufacture. This time, they would be smart just to purchase a super-network of 10cm (S-band) radars to replace the -88D's with ~25 C-band radars to fill in the gaps. Everyone will benefit as compared to their "Radar-Next" program, including the taxpayers.

 

[James K]

Just a FYI: Does everyone know you can call up Vaisala, Baron or EEC and say, "Please deliver me a C-band (TDWR) or S-band (-88D) radar as soon as possible," and they will have it installed in 3 months or less...

So you're saying I (as an average nobody) could just go buy a WSR-88D & have it installed by spring?
...that obviously assuming I had land to put it on & was rich(which deff is not the case).
Obviously the FCC part would be the limiting factor as far as the actual ability to operate it. .lol.

they would be smart just to purchase a super-network of 10cm (S-band) radars to replace the -88D's with ~25 C-band radars to fill in the gaps. Everyone will benefit as compared to their "Radar-Next" program, including the taxpayers.

I think we all know government and smart/efficient/frugal/etc do not go together & never will.

 

[Mike Smith]

So you're saying I (as an average nobody) could just go buy a WSR-88D & have it installed by spring?

I am making the opposite point. The -88D is far from an off-the-shelf radar. It is a government creation.

You could, however, if you had the money, an appropriate site and there were no FCC issues, order an off-the-shelf radar and have it operating by spring.