Weather equipment upgrade provides better forecasts

WABASH VALLEY, Ind. (WTHI) - The Doppler radar strength has significantly improved for us here in the Wabash Valley over the past few weeks.

Not just on the Indiana radar, but a second in Illinois, will now deliver the most advanced information to forecasters because of a dual-polarization upgrade.

Chris Miller from the Lincoln, Ill. National Weather Service office explains how this upgrade will help during severe weather.

"We're expecting improvements in flash flood events and detection of hail. We didn't have a good handle with previous radar on whether we had hail, heavy rain or both. This upgrade will also help us detect when debris is being lofted by tornadoes," Miller said.

So how does this all work?

In previous years, radars would transmit and receive horizontal pulses which only measure the dimensions of a target—be it a cloud or precipitation droplet—in one direction.

Dual-polarization uses both horizontal and vertical oriented pulses, which will obtain better estimates of the size, shape and variety of targets.

The combination of both horizontal and vertical pulses from the radars is what gives us an enhanced look at severe storms as well as winter weather events.

Dan McCarthy from the Indianapolis National Weather Service office says the dual-polarization upgrade will help forecasters in the winter, especially during mixed precipitation.

We'll now be able to see within the clouds if the precipitation will be freezing rain, ice, snow, etc.

With 14 new radar products now available to meteorologists, more accurate information regarding both severe and winter storms will be there, helping keep you and your family safe.