Weather enthusiasts will soon have a clearer picture of the forecast as the newly-upgraded Holyrood radar station gets set to come online.
If all goes well, data from the new station will be available on Environment Canada’s platforms as of Tuesday, October 13.
The Newfoundland weather radar was originally set up near Trepassey, but moved to Holyrood in 1986 to improve the clarity of its coverage.
The existing station—which had been in operation since 2002—was shut down and dismantled this summer, and new equipment was installed as part of a countrywide systems upgrade. Across Canada, 27 new radars are being installed to replace or strengthen much of Canada’s existing network.
(Image courtesy Environment Canada.)
Environment Canada says weather radars, such as the one in Holyrood, are key for detecting short-term severe weather. A spokesperson says the radar upgrades will enable all-around improvements when it comes to the forecast.
The radar’s coverage will see a major boost, with its doppler range set to double to 240 kilometres. As well, Environment Canada says meteorologists will be able to better distinguish between types of precipitation or other airborne objects—such as birds and insects.
(Sample from the former Holyrood station.)
On top of that, the new radar provides more consisted coverage with a higher rate of hourly updates, and less yearly maintenance will be required.
The radar effectively became active in early September, but the data was only accessible internally by meteorologists to help with weather warnings and forecasts.
Final tests are currently underway to ensure the station is in tip-top shape for next week.
