“This One Little Programming Tweak Will Save Thousands of Lives”

[ou48A]

I don’t know about this^ claim but I thought this radar change was worth posting?

http://thevane.gawker.com/this-one-l...s-o-1592764166

[venture]

Loco might be the one to chime in on this one, since I think this is more up his expertise (correct me if I'm wrong), but SAILS and AVSET are definitely nice. We are probably still a decade or more away from full deployment of phased-array systems that would eliminate the separate level scans. I would have to argue that the faster scanning ability is very nice to have. The TWDR systems at various airports across the country are wonderful when they are set to rapid scan mode. The one for KOKC, which is in Northwest Norman, provides fresh scans every minute. The radar detail is pretty good as well to help identify some features that aren't able to be viewed on the lower resolution products. However those aren't really use to their full potential. The TWDR system that serves KDTW for example is set to a standard 4-6 minute scan even during storms.

I have hopes that once Phased Array goes into full deployment, they actually beef up the coverage of the radar systems.



The gaps in coverage east of the Rockies is just completely inexcusable still. Severe weather is pretty active through out much of the area that you see gaps. I'm hoping when they start putting the new radars into service that they reposition some. VNX is a perfect example. It should be moved further west some, though I believe it is shared with the military for operation. It is just too close to ICT to be effective. We also need another system deployed in SE OK near Durant. I can count at least 15 areas between the Rockies and Appalachians that should get new systems from Ohio to Alabama and west through the Miss Valley area.

So while SAILS and AVSET will be great to improve the frequency of data in existing areas, more work needs to be done to expand and fill in the holes.

[woodyrr]

The 5 minute volume scans have been a huge painful thorn in this weather layman's paw since the NEXRAD radars came online. I am thankful that both places I usually have an interest in, OKC and Dallas, have good TDWRs that update much faster than the NEXRAD. I hope it will result in more accurate and competent warnings.

Now if we could just get the huge painful thorn removed from my other paw - the nomenclature "slight" i.e. "no big deal" in the SPC risk products . . . . .

[LocoAko]

Loco might be the one to chime in on this one, since I think this is more up his expertise (correct me if I'm wrong), but SAILS and AVSET are definitely nice. We are probably still a decade or more away from full deployment of phased-array systems that would eliminate the separate level scans. I would have to argue that the faster scanning ability is very nice to have. The TWDR systems at various airports across the country are wonderful when they are set to rapid scan mode. The one for KOKC, which is in Northwest Norman, provides fresh scans every minute. The radar detail is pretty good as well to help identify some features that aren't able to be viewed on the lower resolution products. However those aren't really use to their full potential. The TWDR system that serves KDTW for example is set to a standard 4-6 minute scan even during storms.

I have hopes that once Phased Array goes into full deployment, they actually beef up the coverage of the radar systems.



The gaps in coverage east of the Rockies is just completely inexcusable still. Severe weather is pretty active through out much of the area that you see gaps. I'm hoping when they start putting the new radars into service that they reposition some. VNX is a perfect example. It should be moved further west some, though I believe it is shared with the military for operation. It is just too close to ICT to be effective. We also need another system deployed in SE OK near Durant. I can count at least 15 areas between the Rockies and Appalachians that should get new systems from Ohio to Alabama and west through the Miss Valley area.

So while SAILS and AVSET will be great to improve the frequency of data in existing areas, more work needs to be done to expand and fill in the holes.

Radar is what I do -- but I think you summed everything up perfectly here and I don't have much to add. They seem to be taking a cue from the benefits shown from Phased Array Radar studies which are still years off from being implemented operationally. PAR is good at "adaptive" scanning ... for example, only periodically scanning the upper levels, and if nothing is detected, skipping them for a while to get more low-level scans. So far it looks awesome, and all for free -- just a different scanning strategy!

For those who want some more technical information -

Supplemental Adaptive Intra-volume Low-level Scan - Huh?

SAILS briefing: https://www.roc.noaa.gov/WSR88D/Publ...n_Nov_2012.pdf

AVSET briefing: http://www.roc.noaa.gov/wsr88d/Publi...FAQs030910.pdf