The weather network radar toronto update#
The weather network radar toronto upgrade#
The weather network radar toronto full#

This research radar is essentially a WSR-98A (see below) upgraded with dual polarization capability in 2004.

Doppler since 1993 and dual polarization was added in 1999.

Uses a klystron to produce a wavelength signal of 10 cm.

Such areas include the Edmonton area and the southwestern region of Newfoundland. In June 2021, to ensure continuity of radar coverage in some areas while radars are being replaced, several of the radars had their ranges extended to 400 km (250 mi) in the lowest angle of reflectivity data. An additional radar will be installed in the Lower Athabasca region in Alberta. 2018 also saw replacement radars at Foxwarren MB, Timmins ON ( near Smooth Rock Falls), and Spirit River AB and 19 of the new radars were in place by the end of 2020 with the rest being replaced sequentially by 2023. The second radar was installed in the summer of 2018 at Blainville in the Montreal region to replace the aging McGill radar ( WMN). The first radar was installed in Radisson, SK in the fall of 2017. with the contract containing options to replace all radars in the Canadian Weather Radar Network, by March 31, 2023.

The weather network radar toronto update#

In February 2017, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, announced the signature of a $83‑million contract with Selex ES to buy 20 new radars with the most modern technology available ( S band and double polarized) to update the network. The Jimmy Lake and Lac Castor stations are owned and operated by the Department of Defense (DND), these are also part of the network. It was a research as well as an operational radar and was modified independently. Marshall Radar Observatory), while being part of the network, was owned by McGill University.

The weather network radar toronto upgrade#

The Canadian network was thus gradually formed and by 1997, there were 19 weather radars of two kinds across the country: 18 five centimeter wavelength (C-Band) radars and 1 ten centimeter wavelength (S-Band) at McGill, all of the radars detected reflectivity but only Carvel (Edmonton), King City (Toronto) and McGill (Montreal) were equipped with Doppler capabilities.Įnvironment Canada received approval in 1998 to upgrade the network to Doppler standard and to add 12 more radars with the operational characteristics coming from King City weather radar station (CWKR), the research radar of Environment Canada. Marshall continued at McGill University the work with the 'Stormy Weather Group'. Research in weather radars in Canada began at the end of the Second World War with 'Project Stormy Weather'. Starting on 29 June 2022, a pilot project allow external users access to the raw data, possibly including the 400 km data. The range extensions are intended to provide forecasters at the Meteorological Service of Canada, part of Environment and Climate Change Canada, with radar information while nearby radars are being replaced as part of the renewal.

Starting in June 2021, some of the radars' ranges will be extended to 400 km (250 mi) in the lowest angle of reflectivity data. Furthermore, the new radars are dual-polarized which means precipitation type can be estimated directly.

The weather network radar toronto full#

The renewal of the network, from 2018 to 2023, with new S-Band radars brings these numbers respectively to 300 km (190 mi) for reflectivity and 240 km (150 mi) for full Doppler coverage.

Their primary purpose is the early detection of precipitation, its motion and the threat it poses to life and property.Įach had until 2018 a range of 256 km (159 mi) in radius around the site to detect reflectivity, 3 angles with a range of 128 km (80 mi), for detecting velocity pattern ( Doppler effect), and an extra long range up to 240 km (150 mi) at low elevation angle but strongly folded or aliased (where the maximum unambiguous velocity interval (±Vmax) is less than the full range of velocities being measured which leads to some being displayed with the wrong values ). The Canadian weather radar network consists of 31 weather radars spanning Canada's most populated regions. Weather radar sault ste marie.Location of the weather radars in Canada.