The National Weather Service announces some new exciting capabilities that have recently been implemented at the Dyess (KDYX) weather radar in Abilene. The San Angelo (KSJT) weather radar will be implemented by the end of next week (April 9). The latest upgrade will give the Abilene and San Angelo radars the capability to scan the lowest level (0.5 degrees) up to 3 additional times per volume scan. This means it can provide the public with a new base level scan as much as every 75 to 90 seconds which should really help with tornado detection and tracking.
Hector Guerrero of the National Weather Service in San Angelo explained that weather forecasters will make the decision when to invoke this scanning strategy based on the weather situation at hand (and whether to use it for an additional 1, 2, or 3 extra low level scans per volume scan).
“When there is a threat for tornadoes or wind damage it will be invoked, but since there are some trade-offs that occur, it may not be used for other types of severe weather events or for heavy rain and flooding events,” Guerrero explained. “The extra scans are disseminated in both Level II and Level III data feeds, so unless your vendor has a filter to remove these supplemental scans you should see them.”The NWS has decided not to display any of these supplemental low level scans on their primary radar page, because it causes some concerns with the radar loops (it can give the illusion of slow moving storms and would only be able to display the last 12 minutes if 3 extra scans were chosen).
The Central Texas Radar (KGRK) should receive this upgrade during the month of April; however, an exact date is not available at this time.
