Weather Forecasting
Radars Far Superior to Predecessors, but Location and Availability Questions Remain Gao ID: T-AIMD-96-2 October 17, 1995The National Weather Service is deploying new Doppler radars known as Next Generation Weather Radars (NEXRAD) to provide greatly improved and more timely weather forecasts. Simply stated, NEXRADs have replaced weather event "nearsightedness" with "20/20 vision" and have given NWS the ability to save lives and money through precise warnings of severe weather. However, these radars must be up and running at least 96 percent of the time to be effective--an availability rate that many do not meet.