Detectors Site : Doppler Weather Radar

In 1964, the first Doppler weather radar commissioned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was a 3-cm Doppler, used to receive signals from storms. When this weather detector radar system was used for tornado tracking, scientists quickly realized this Doppler was not the best radar system to receive all of the necessary signals. In 1973, the NOAA upgraded to a 10-cm Doppler, which was observed by the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL). A tornado's life cycle was captured through film and data for the first time in history, giving scientists a better picture of the circular wind patterns and central rotation point known to tornados.

Scientists sought to increase their knowledge of how storms like these formed. One particular storm in May of 1973 cut right through the heart of Union City, Oklahoma. Union City lies in the center of the infamous "Tornado Alley" region of the United States. With the data received by the scientists, they were able to start planning upgrades and improvements of the Doppler weather radar so it could be a more reliable asset to the government and the residents.

The Doppler system maps weather radar by measuring the motion inside these very hostile storms. Over time, scientists discovered that tornadoes produce a unique signature; different from regular storms. And as time went on, they were able to recognize this pattern, which they later called the "tornadic vortex" signature.

Improvements to the Doppler weather radar increased the warning time for tornados. The NEXRAD (Next Generation Radar) increased the accuracy of radar readings, giving scientists a clearer picture with which to work. With NEXRAD, scientists all over the country could communicate data to predict the path of a tornado. Since the NEXRAD upgrade, the lead time for early warnings for severe weather reports has increased dramatically. Previously, residents had about a 5 minutes warning, yet a tornado that struck Enterprise, Alabama in 2007 had a remarkable 18 minute lead time. In that particular storm, the National Weather Service measured tornadic rotation in the clouds, noting the storm was producing the signature "hook echo." A warning was issued for the residents of Enterprise, Alabama to take cover from this impending tornado. Eighteen minutes later, the tornado touched down.

No amount of time will ever seem like enough to prepare yourself for the shock and fear a tornado can bring. Eighteen minutes won't save your home, your business, or your car. But it provides enough time to help your loved ones get to a safe shelter, as well as to gather some emergency supplies. In the beginning, Doppler weather radar technology was created to increase warning times for these severe weather reports and save lives. Forty-five years later, amazing breakthroughs are achieving that goal.

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Today's Tip On Detectors

While eighteen minutes will never seem like enough warning when your town and your home is about to be destroyed, it does give enough time to gather family, pets, and emergency supplies before taking shelter. It is the hope of meteorologists everywhere to increase the warning time on severe weather reports to at least twenty minutes, thus saving more lives. Almost forty-five years after its birth, Doppler weather radar has come much closer to realizing that goal.