NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE UPGRADES NWS ST. LOUIS DOPPLER RADAR

DATA FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN ST. LOUIS
MISSOURI WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FROM MARCH 20 THROUGH MARCH 24 DUE
TO SCHEDULED SYSTEM UPGRADES. A TEAM OF RADAR TECHNICIANS FROM
NORMAN OKLAHOMA WILL INSTALL NEW EQUIPMENT STARTING AT 7 AM CST
MONDAY MARCH 20. THE RADAR IS EXPECTED TO BE BACK IN FULL SERVICE BY
5 PM CST FRIDAY MARCH 24.

THE RADAR IMPROVEMENTS BEING MADE TO THE ST. LOUIS WSR-88D DOPPLER
RADAR ARE PART OF A NATIONAL EFFORT TO MODERNIZE THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE NETWORK OF DOPPLER RADARS. DURING THE SCHEDULED OUTAGE...
RADAR EXPERTS WILL INSTALL NEW HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE AT THE
TRANSMITTER...WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY IMPROVE RADAR PERFORMANCE.
ALTHOUGH DOPPLER RADAR SOFTWARE HAS BECOME MORE SOPHISTICATED AND
DISPLAY CAPABILITIES HAVE STEADILY IMPROVED DURING THE PAST DECADE...
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT MAJOR CHANGES ARE BEING MADE AT THE
TRANSMITTER. THE NEW RADAR COMPONENTS ARE PART OF A MODULAR DESIGN
WHICH WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO IMPLEMENT FUTURE SYSTEM UPGRADES. THIS
WILL ALSO PAVE THE WAY FOR THE NEXT ADVANCEMENTS IN RADAR
TECHNOLOGY.

DURING THE RADAR OUTAGE...USERS CAN VIEW DOPPLER RADAR DATA FROM
SURROUNDING NETWORK RADARS LOCATED AT PLEASANT HILL/KANSAS CITY
MISSOURI...SPRINGFIELD MISSOURI...PADUCAH KENTUCKY...LINCOLN
ILLINOIS...AND DAVENPORT IOWA. LATE MARCH WAS CHOSEN TO IMPLEMENT
THIS UPGRADE SO THE IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE IN PLACE FOR THE HEART OF
THE SEVERE WEATHER SEASON.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS...PLEASE CONTACT STEVEN THOMAS...
METEOROLOGIST-IN-CHARGE...OR JIM KRAMPER...WARNING COORDINATION
METEOROLOGIST AT 636-447-1876.