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Weather Forecasting: Radar Availability Requirement Not Being Met

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Report Type Reports and Testimonies
Report Date May 31, 1995
Report No. AIMD-95-132
Subject
Summary:

Doppler radar systems are enabling weather forecasters to better see the makeup and the movement of weather and to quickly warn the public about severe storms, such as tornadoes. The National Weather Service is collaborating with the Federal Aviation Administration and the Air Force in acquiring Doppler radar technology. This $1.4 billion radar project, known as the Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD), will establish a constellation of radars to increase the accuracy, the timeliness, and the credibility of hazardous weather warnings. This report discusses (1) the NEXRAD units that were dropped from the original deployment plan and the reasons why they were dropped, (2) the feasibility and the estimated cost of extending the NEXRAD contract to buy additional radars, (3) the Air Force NEXRAD's contribution to the national NEXRAD network and the accessibility of the Air Force NEXRAD data to civilian forecasters, and (4) the availability of the Air Force and National Weather Service NEXRADs.

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