Perth weather radar upgrade

10/06/2014

Weather watchers using the Bureau of Meteorology’s Perth weather radar will now get more images, more often and have the option of looking at the Doppler wind observations.

West Australians will benefit from a significant improvement in service for both the quality and frequency of the radar data.

With the radar now featuring Doppler wind information for the first time, the upgraded service will enhance the Bureau’s ability to monitor storm severity and fine-tune warnings during severe weather events.

The upgrade will also deliver the capability to observe areas of differing wind speeds, which meteorologists refer to as wind fields, and track features such as wind direction changes. This will help forecasters advise emergency services about significant wind changes, particularly during severe weather and bushfire events.

Not only will the community and emergency services benefit by these enhancements but there are also economic benefits to industry such as agriculture, aviation, defence, construction, resources and energy and tourism.

The Bureau of Meteorology has been upgrading its radar network progressively, with the Perth radar the first to receive Doppler capability in Western Australia.