...KCXX RADAR IN COLCHESTER VERMONT WILL UNDERGO DUAL POLARIZATION
UPGRADE ON JULY 18TH AND BE OUT OF SERVICE UNTIL AUGUST 1ST...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KCXX WSR-88D DOPPLER RADAR LOCATED AT
CAMP JOHNSON IN COLCHESTER VERMONT AND OPERATED BY THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BURLINGTON, VERMONT WILL BE OUT OF SERVICE
FOR AN UPGRADE TO DUAL POLARIZATION (DUAL POL) TECHNOLOGY BEGINNING
ON WEDNESDAY JULY 18TH THROUGH WEDNESDAY AUGUST 1ST. MOST
INSTALLATIONS HAVE TAKEN ABOUT A WEEK TO COMPLETE AND IF NO PROBLEMS
OCCUR AT KCXX RADAR, THEN SERVICE COULD RETURN SOONER THAN AUGUST 1ST.
 
THIS IS THE LARGEST HARDWARE UPGRADE TO THE WSR-88D RADAR SINCE ITS
DEPLOYMENT IN THE EARLY 1990S.

THIS NEW RADAR TECHNOLOGY WILL BENEFIT FORECASTERS IN THE FOLLOWING
WAYS...CATEGORIZING THE TYPE OF PRECIPITATION THAT IS FALLING (RAIN,
SNOW, HAIL, ETC), IMPROVE ESTIMATES OF TOTAL PRECIPITATION, BETTER
ESTIMATION OF THE SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF HYDROMETEORS, UPGRADE THE
ABILITY TO IDENTIFY AREAS OF HEAVY RAINFALL RATES FOR FLASH FLOOD
POTENTIAL, BETTER DETECTION AND MITIGATION OF NON-WEATHER ECHOES,
EASIER IDENTIFICATION OF THE MELTING LAYER FOR ENHANCED FORECASTING
OF SNOW LEVELS AND NEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORM SIGNATURES FOR HAIL.
DURING THE SCHEDULED KTYX RADAR DOWNTIME...THE FOLLOWING SURROUNDING
RADARS SHOULD BE UTILIZED FOR RADAR DATA:

KENX...ALBANY, NEW YORK
KGYX...GRAY, MAINE
KTYX...MONTAGUE, NEW YORK

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT DUAL POLARIZATION RADAR TECHNOLOGY
AND FOR ACCESS TO DUAL POL TRAINING...PLEASE VISIT THE FOLLOWING
WEBSITE (USE LOWER CASE):
HTTP://WWW/WDTB.NOAA.GOV/COURSES/DUALPOL/OUTREACH
ALSO...SOME LIMITED DUAL POL PRODUCTS CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT THE
FOLLOWING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE (USE LOWER CASE):
HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/RIDGE2/RIDGENEW2/
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR QUESTIONS...PLEASE CONTACT:
BROOKE TABER RADAR PROGRAM LEADER AT BROOKE.TABER@NOAA.GOV
OR PAUL SISSON "SCIENCE OPERATIONS OFFICER" AT PAUL.SISSON@NOAA.GOV