Phased Array Radar innovating for the future

PAR uses stationary antennas made up of numerous small, electronically controlled elements. Credit: NOAA NSSL

Severe weather continues to pose an increasingly significant threat to communities across the United States. From tornadoes in the Great Plains to hurricanes along the coasts and everything in between, timely and accurate weather forecasts are crucial to saving lives and protecting property. Phased Array Radar can give meteorologists a clearer view of fast moving weather systems by providing almost instantaneous scans of multiple areas in the atmosphere at once.

For more than 30 years, the nation’s weather forecasting has relied heavily on the WSR-88D (Weather Surveillance Radar, 1988 Doppler), commonly known as the NEXRAD radar network. This Doppler radar system, developed in large part at NSSL, has given meteorologists the ability to track storms in real-time, measure precipitation intensity, and detect the rotational patterns in thunderstorms that may lead to tornadoes. NEXRAD’s capabilities have made it an invaluable tool for issuing timely warnings about severe weather.