National Weather Service Radar System Offline for Repairs

The National Weather Service is upgrading the radar system for Southeast Michigan.

NWS Weather Maps

Pat Batcheller

The National Weather Service office serving Southeast Michigan says its radar systems will be offline until Wednesday for upgrades.

The improvements include increased to IT security, system speed, and data quality.

Meteorologist Rich Pollman says this is the first of four upgrades to the system over the next five years.

“The other upgrades are going to be refurbishing the transmitter, the pedestal that the radar operates on and the motors and such, and some of the equipment shelters that protect the equipment,” Pollman says.

Pollman says the upgrades will keep the 20-year-old system running well into the 2030s.

He says the National Weather Service,  the Air Force, and the Federal Aviation Administration are investing $150 million in the project.  

Author

  • Bre'Anna Tinsley
    Bre'Anna Tinsley is a reporter for Detroit Public Radio, 101.9 WDET. She covers city government and housing, as well as co-hosting the "Detroit Evening Report" podcast.