A new weather system could replace America’s 36-year-old radars

First built in 1988, the WSR-88D radar (Weather Surveillance Radar, 1988 Doppler) is one of the most powerful Weather Surveillance Doppler radars in the world. It has been installed in over 160 locations in the United States, including in Puerto Rico and several Pacific Islands.

Jointly operated by the National Weather Service (NWS), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the US Air Force, data from the WSR 88-D Radar, also known as NEXRAD, can be processed to map patterns and movements in precipitation across the United States. But it has some limitations and its designed life is reaching its end.

The biggest shortcoming of the WSR-88D system comes in its slow scan time, taking up to almost 6 full minutes to complete a full scan of the atmosphere, and severe weather can change in seconds.

“They are still the world-class gold standard radars around the world for detecting severe weather. But they are becoming more expensive to maintain, so we will have to look for a replacement.” – Jessica Shultz, Deputy Director of the RADAR Next Program.

To replace the system, the United States may turn to Phased Array Radar (PAR). Instead of using a large rotating dish to transmit and receive the radar signals, PAR utilizes several small electronically controlled elements that create stationary antennas. With this system, the direction of a radar beam can be changed without mechanical movement, allowing for much faster scans of the atmosphere.

PAR beats NEXRAD by minutes, taking less than a minute to complete a scan. A research prototype of PAR, called the Advanced Technology Demonstrator (ATD), was developed to test the capabilities of a nationwide PAR network and has already been successfully implemented in the real world.

“The next 10 years are critical to the future of weather radar in the United States. The decisions we make will have a long-lasting impact not only on the science and technology of weather radar, but also the safety of our citizens across the country. PAR is ready to be part of Radar Next and will serve as a critical infrastructure investment that will advance our understanding of severe weather and train our next generation of STEM talent.” – Director of the National Severe Storms Laboratory, DaNa Carlis.