Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo residents will soon be enjoying more predictable weather forecasts in the near future.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) commented on Twitter on Monday, that the new dual-pol RADAR is up and in test mode near Fort McMurray.
The Government of Canada announced on Feb. 28, 2017, that it would be replacing its dated weather-radar network with 33 new radars by Mar. 31, 2023.
Replacement scheduling for the new radars was determined by current operational stability, climate and local severe weather frequency, location, and access to the radar sites.
Fort McMurray is 31 on the S-band deployment schedule.
These new state-of-the-art radars have fully integrated dual-polarization technology, which enables forecasters to better distinguish between rain, snow, hail, and freezing rain while discerning the size, shape, and variety of the precipitation particles.
With the upgraded system, ECCC expects to issue more precise and timely weather watches and warnings for significant weather events.
Construction of Fort McMurray’s new radar is considered on track and is expected to be completed within a few months.