SEATTLE (AP) — U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell says Washington state will get state-of-the-art coastal Doppler radar in September 2011, a year earlier than originally expected. The Washington Democrat said Wednesday the technology will help ensure more accurate weather forecasts for the Pacific Northwest. Previously, she says Washington weather radar coverage has been “shockingly inadequate, putting lives and property at risk.”
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has found a radar that can be obtained from the Air Force and modified for use in Washington. The technology will be able to scan weather systems vertically as well as horizontally, helping the National Weather Service better predict the type, intensity and duration of precipitation.
The Weather Service will announce radar site finalists in late June.
