NWS LOT WSR-88D suffers catastrophic failure

[Danny Neal]

THE NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE WSR-88D, KLOT, IS IN THE INITIAL STAGES OF A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE GEARING IN THE RADAR PEDESTAL. THIS IS THE PORTION OF THE RADAR WHICH SPINS THE ANTENNA. A FIVE PERSON TEAM FROM THE WSR-88D RADAR OPERATIONS CENTER (ROC) WILL TRAVEL TO CHICAGO THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH, TO PERFORM A REBUILDING OF THE PEDESTAL. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT FAILURE, AND THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PEDESTAL GEARS WILL REQUIRE THAT THE RADAR BE OUT OF SERVICE FOR 7 TO 10 DAYS. THE CONDITION WAS IDENTIFIED WHEN OTHER ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WAS BEING PERFORMED. BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED EARLY, IT IS THOUGHT THAT THE RADAR PEDESTAL STILL HAS SOME OPERATIONAL SERVICE TIME LEFT. IN ORDER TO UTILIZE AND MAXIMIZE THIS REMAINING SERVICE TIME, THE RADAR WILL ONLY BE OPERATED SPARINGLY UNTIL THE RECONSTRUCTION BEGINS. OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM WILL BE CURTAILED DURING QUIET WEATHER, AND THE RADAR PLACED INTO SERVICE ONLY WHEN WIDESPREAD OR SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION IS WITHIN THE COVERAGE AREA. RAIN IS EXPECTED IN THE AREA THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT, HOWEVER THE BEST CHANCES ARE FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY. THE RADAR WILL THEN BE DOWN SATURDAY THROUGH LATE NEXT WEEK WHILE THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PEDESTAL IS BEING COMPLETED. WHILE THE KLOT WSR-88D IS OUT OF SERVICE, ADJACENT LOCAL RADARS FROM ILX, DVN, MKX AND IWX MAY BE UTILIZED FOR COVERAGE.

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=lot&storyid=66606&source=0

 

[Melissa Jablonski]

I'm glad they caught it. Too bad this had to happen.

 

[Bob Hartig]

Ewww! But good that you guys are overlapped by three adjacent NWS radars and also covered by two TDWRs.

 

[Jason Foster]

I always wondered if there was cost reasonable solution of having a somewhat portable back-up that could travel. Something that could be brought in by train and with a crane of sorts be temporarily placed in service. Something that could almost be deployed in 48 hours or less. Probably couldn't be full height as the tower, but I could see something temporary.

I'm sure it would be difficult because of differences of the site, size of the units, etc. I started thinking about the idea when I started hearing about deployment of temporary cell towers after major weather events. Cell towers are much easier of course, but it did give me the thought.

 

[Todd Renshaw]

Something that could be brought in by train and with a crane of sorts be temporarily placed in service. ... Probably couldn't be full height as the tower, but I could see something temporary.

Hmm ... cool idea. I suppose a scissor lift on a flatbed train car wouldn't be nearly high enough? As long as we're dreaming big, how about an AWACS-type plane? (Do they already have such things for hurricane season? If not, it could do double duty.)