A comparison of the new radar (right) and the old radar in Chipman, N.B. (Photo: Environment and Climate Change Canada)
Environment Canada is in the midst of a seven-year program to replace all of its weather radars.
Seven radars were replaced over the past year.
Jill Maepea, a meteorologist with the weather agency, said the state-of-the-art radars have a leading-edge technology called dual-polarization.
“This allows for the shapes of targets to be detected much more easily so we can distinguish between rain, snow, hail and freezing rain, as well as non-meteorological targets such as birds or bugs,” said Maepea.
The new radars also have an extended severe-weather detection range to cover more of Canada.
A new radar in Chipman, N.B. (Photo: Environment and Climate Change Canada)
Maepea said the Doppler range will be increased to 240 kilometres from the current 120 kilometres.
“The greater range allows for a greater lead time for that severe weather,” she said. “Not only do we have more detail that severe weather could be approaching the area, we can actually see it now further approaching the area.”
Maepea said the new radars also send back images to forecasters every six minutes instead of 10.
She said this will be especially beneficial during severe weather, such as thunderstorms and tornadoes.
“It definitely helps the forecaster identify that radar signature right away and possibly issue a warning so the public can protect themselves or their family more quickly than before,” she said.
The federal government the signing of an $83-million contract to upgrade the weather-radar network in February of 2017.
All of the radars are expected to be upgraded by March of 2023.
