Tennant Creek radar to close as Bureau modernises weather observations
30/06/2015
The Bureau of Meteorology is continuing to modernise its observation systems to deliver better services to remote and regional communities. As part of this program, the Bureau is automating observations, investing in satellite and other technologies that provide coverage over the entire continent, and closing ageing radars.
At Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory, the radar will be decommissioned on 30 June 2015. This follows the closure of the Eucla radar in 2012, and more recently the closure of radars at Sydney, Cairns and Rockhampton airports. These radars were originally installed for tracking weather balloons but, as a result of the introduction of automated new technology, this function is no longer required.
The Bureau’s Acting Regional Director for the Northern Territory, Mr Ben Suter, said community safety will not be compromised by the decommissioning of the radar.
"The Bureau will continue to provide high quality information to support medical evacuations and emergency services, including the continued provision of tailored advice where requested.
"We are also working with the Barkly Regional Council to organise community information sessions in the coming months, to present examples of the coming technology, and to explain how to make the best use of available observation and forecasting tools," Mr Suter said.
He said that although radars are being decommissioned, other technologies such as satellites and lightning detection are providing additional observations to allow the Bureau to monitor weather systems across the country, not just where a radar might be.
"This is all part of delivering the best possible observation service to Australians and maximising the return on investment in the Bureau’s observing network," said Mr Suter.
The Bureau’s focus on improved observing systems goes hand in hand with developments in our forecasting systems, with 7-day town forecasts and the Bureau’s MetEye service now available across all of the Territory. Increasingly, we’re making more detailed and locally-relevant weather information available to all Australians.
From mid-August 2015—well before the start of the wet season—the Bureau will provide 10-minute updates of weather conditions across Australia from the new Japanese Himawari-8 Satellite.
"Later in the year we will add real-time lightning observation data, with the combination of these enabling the community, for the first time ever, to track thunderstorms at 10-minute intervals (the same frequency as radar) anywhere across the Barkly district, and indeed anywhere right across Australia," Mr Suter said.
