Met Service says Doppler weather radar should be fixed by year-end

By Kimone Witter 

   

The Meteorological Service of Jamaica is anticipating that the Doppler weather radar, installed at Coopers Hill, St. Andrew, two years ago, will be operational before the end of this year.

 

It was reported that a "mechanical defect" was affecting the radar antenna.

 

Principal Director of the Met Service Evan Thompson says the problem, identified as a manufacturer's error, should be rectified in the coming months. 

 

"We have now basically moved to the stage where we are looking towards the restoration within the next couple of months, two to three months or so. So there is some light on the horizon. We should be seeing a radar back in Jamaica before the end of the calendar year," he said. 

 

Mr. Thompson said the lack of a radar has impacted the ability of the Met Service to conduct short term forecasts. 

 

"You know, a radar is always an excellent tool to do the kind of what we call nowcasting, where you see something developing over the island and you can track its movement. So that kind of intense scrutiny, we're not able to achieve that. However, we do continue to rely on the satellite imagery, the automatic weather stations that we have across the island, of course, even just observers that we have across the country who are also advising us of what is seen on the ground. So we are able to monitor, but you know, there is the added benefit of having a radar that we just don't have at this time," he acknowledged. 

 

The head of the Met Service was speaking Thursday on the Morning Agenda on Power 106.

 

Doppler radars help to locate precipitation and calculate the motion of rain.