NEXRAD Program/

Radar Operations Center Update

(Informational Briefing)

Richard J. Vogt

Director, Radar Operations Center

19 November 2009

NEXRAD Technical Advisory Committee

NEXRAD/ROC Update

11/19/09 TAC

2

Keep Operational Systems Running (Triagency Availability)

MONTHLY AVERAGE AVAILABILITY

LAST 12 MONTHS

91%

92%

93%

94%

95%

96%

97%

98%

99%

100%

Oct-08 Nov-08 Dec-08 Jan-09 Feb-09 Mar-09 Apr-09 May-09 Jun-09 Jul-09 Aug-09 Sep-09

MONTH

SE

RV

IC

E A

VA

IL

AB

IL

IT

Y

DOC

DOD

DOT

96%

98.9%

WSR-88D AVAILABILITY

AVERAGED OVER EACH CY

98.40% 98.55%

95.50%

95.00% 94.82%

99.06%

96.68% 96.73%

98.52%

97.65%

99.16%98.99% 99.21% 99.12% 99.56%99.18% 99.05%99.36%

99.45%

96.13%96.86%

96.28%

94.57%

95.83%

94.27%

95.70%

96.01%96.69%

98.63%

99.47%

98.84%

95.82%

98.45%

91.00%

92.00%

93.00%

94.00%

95.00%

96.00%

97.00%

98.00%

99.00%

100.00%

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

CALENDAR YEAR

Averag

e A

(s)

DOC

DOD

DOT

96%

98.9%

NEXRAD/ROC Update

11/19/09 TAC

3

Keep Operational Systems Running

• Hotline annually providing ~7000 Assists; ~80% closed on first call

• Electronic Maint. Team annually completing ~70 depot-level trips

– Pedestal bull gears replaced: 1 – 2006; 1 – 2007, 6 – 2008, 1- 2009

• High-voltage trigger amplifier and opto-isolator modifications have continued to improve reliability and lower costs

• Monitoring WSR-88D data quality in real time and working with Data Quality Team (ROC, NSSL, OU engineers & meteorologists)

NEXRAD/ROC Update

11/19/09 TAC

4

Keep Operational Systems Running

• Reconstituted Reno, NV WSR-88D following catastrophic damage

– December 2008 wind-driven (140 kts) destruction of radome and antenna

– Difficult to reach; work at 8300 ft MSL site

• Primitive 15-mi-long winding dirt road: steep; narrow; ice/snow-covered; and difficult to traverse with large equipment (120-ton crane)

• Winds less than 20 mph needed for much of work

– Repairs completed in 46 days vs. initial 6-month estimate; radar supported rest of active winter storm season

– Radar after initial damage:

NEXRAD/ROC Update

11/19/09 TAC

5

Keep Operational Systems Running

– After second storm:

– Repair final stages:

NEXRAD/ROC Update

11/19/09 TAC

6

Sustain Baseline

Operational Radar System Capabilities

• Considerable dialog regarding whether faster VCPs causing excessive pedestal/gearbox wear:

– All faster VCPs operate radar within original specifications

– Radars automatically revert to VCP32 if no precip. within 1 hr

– Conclusion: Pedestals aging & more pedestal repairs can be expected, no evidence faster VCPs alone causing significant problems

• Recent major modification examples:

– RPG router upgrade (in progress): addresses obsolescence, IT security issues, and IPv6 compliance

– Communications

• In progress through FY12, switch remaining analog connections to digital;

• NWS CIO planning satellite comms capability for emergency situations

NEXRAD/ROC Update

11/19/09 TAC

7

Sustain Baseline

Operational Radar System Capabilities

• ROC WSR-88D - Wind farm interaction efforts

– Outreach program to wind energy industry continuing and making progress; increasingly more

• Voluntary contacts from developers

• Industry awareness of potential wind farm – weather radar interaction

– Completed over 550 analyses since summer 2006

– Frequently updating ROC wind farm – radar interaction web site: http://www.roc.noaa.gov

– Supporting OU wind turbine clutter identification & mitigation work

– Analyzing impacts on data and warning operations separately – impact on warning operations the key

• Going beyond original benchmark of wind turbine blades in RLOS (Std. Atmos.)

NEXRAD/ROC Update

11/19/09 TAC

8

Frequency of Wind Farm Distance from NEXRAD Radars

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

≤ 3 18 25 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 >150

Distance in Km

Nu

mb

er

of

Win

d F

arm

s

# of Wind Farms in RLOS in Distance Bin

Total # of Wind Farms in Distance Bin

NEXRAD/ROC Update

11/19/09 TAC

9

Estimate of Wind Turbine Impacts on

Warning Operations with Distance

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40

Distance between Wind Farm & Radar (Kilometers)

Imp

ac

t

IMPACTS within RLOS

--Wind Turbine Clutter

--Algorithm Impacts

--Some Workarounds

Available for WFOs

IMPACTS up to 3km

--Radar Receiver

Damage (within 200 m)

--Radar Beam

Formation (within 1.5

km)

--Partial Attenuation of

Radar Beam (within 3

km)

--Limited or No

Workarounds for WFOs

IMPACTS up to 18km

--Multiple-path

Signal Scatter

--Multiple Elevation

Scans Impacted

--Difficult to work

around for WFOs

NEXRAD/ROC Update

11/19/09 TAC

10

Sustain Baseline

Operational Radar System Capabilities

• DHS invited ROC participation, on behalf of weather radars, in statement of work for development of “Wind Turbine/Radar Modeling Tool for Assessing the Effect of Wind Turbines on Radars”

– Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) released 11/5/09: http://www.fbodaily.com/archive/2009/11-November/07-Nov-2009/FBO-01998473.htm

– Goals:

• Make assessments of potential wind turbine impacts on radars more objective

• Portray the impacts more accurately

• Replace current impact assessment tools

• Reduce impact assessment workload

• Serve as a tool the wind energy industry will have more confidence in

– Intent is not to impede the growth of the wind energy industry, but to discover a means to co-exist

NEXRAD/ROC Update

11/19/09 TAC

11

Improve Radar System Reliability

And Integrate New Capabilities (Continued)

• Software builds

– Build 11 released in April 2009; major contents

• Clutter Mitigation Decision (CMD) Process

– Build 12 RPG to be released in June 2010; major contents

• Implements Dual Pol algorithms and products operationally

• Integrates Super Resolution base data in Meso Detection Alg.

– Build 12 RDA – Dual Pol contractor provided

• CMD deactivated when site modified with Dual Pol

– Build 13 RDA – first post-Dual Pol release

• Merge Build 11.x with Build 12 (contractor)

• Reactivate CMD

• SREC to meet in early 2010 to define recommended contents and release dates

NEXRAD/ROC Update

11/19/09 TAC

12

Improve Radar System Reliability

And Integrate New Capabilities (Continued)

• WSR-88D Level II collection, distribution and archive plans

– January 2010, add 4 Hawaiian FAA WSR-88Ds; Legacy resolution

– RPG Build 12, June 2010 release; add remaining 8 DoD CONUS WSR-88Ds; Legacy resolution

– Dual Pol modification, add NWS Dual Pol Level II data

– Refresh of Level II equipment and rearchitecture starting 1CY10

• Use of NOAAnet primarily, simpler communications network – Data will continue to flow to existing top tier sites via Internet 2

• Centralized vs regional aggregation of data – Primary collection point at NWS TOC, auto-failover backup at ROC

• More reliable Level II data flow (e.g., no regional outages)

NEXRAD/ROC Update

11/19/09 TAC

13

Improve Radar System Reliability

And Integrate New Capabilities (Continued)

• TDWR product collection, distribution and archive

– Products from all 45 sites part of product central collection as of February 2009

– No plans for collecting TDWR Level II data at this time

NEXRAD/ROC Update

11/19/09 TAC

14

Improve Radar System Reliability

And Integrate New Capabilities (Continued)

• Install additional network radar along Washington state coast

– Specific funding and language in FY09 appropriations

– Remaining funding in FY10 budget

– Operational by 9/30/12

– Radar will improve

• QPE in radar-blocked portions of western Washington

• Off-shore coverage

• Forecasts of weather hazards including severe convection, damaging winds, flash floods, and precipitation type (melting level)

NEXRAD/ROC Update

11/19/09 TAC

15

Support NPI Program

• PMRT of TDWR SPG program from NWS OS&T to ROC in FY10

• Assisting Dual Polarization Program

– Participation in Technical Interchange Meetings

– Answer contractor legacy system inquiries

– Participation in design and program reviews

– Will lead testing and data quality evaluations