An Update on the NEXRAD Program and Future WSR-88D Support to Operations

Abstract

The operational network of WSR-88D systems is in place. These radars provide a large increase in performance and coverage over the radars they replaced—and in some locations are the first operational weather radars. The early years of experience using these radars have shown that they have contributed to increased weather warning and forecast performance. These systems must be regularly upgraded, however, to maintain a viable network, meet new requirements, and take advantage of new science and technology. In addition to the NEXRAD program’s standard modification and retrofit process, the NEXRAD agencies (Department of Commerce/National Weather Service, Department of Defense, and Department of Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration) have established a NEXRAD product improvement program to initiate major hardware upgrades to the WSR-88D. This paper describes the status of the NEXRAD program, improvements to the WSR-88D that have taken place, improvements that are planned, and a discussion of possible future changes to the WSR-88D and application of radar data.