#Nbc2 weather doppler full#

The new radar operates with one million watts of power, enough power to punch through and see the potential danger behind a storm’s leading bands. “It is a potential life saver during an emergency, when other radars fail to provide a detailed look at the storm,” Devitt says. WINK’s new Doppler radar provides the best means of early warning and safety for all of Southwest Florida. The radar produces better accuracy on rain estimates, which can be critical during hurricanes and flood warnings, and it delivers improved detection of debris created during tornadoes. The new Doppler radar transmits and receives pulses in both a horizontal and vertical orientation-that’s where the dual-polarization comes in-giving meteorologists a highly accurate view of potential danger, such as an approaching hurricane.īecause the dual-pol radar system reads both up-and-down and side-to-side, it provides the most comprehensive look at the size and shape of storms. “That’s so important when it comes down to saving people’s lives.” “Our radar will be close enough to detect those details,” Sherman says. But WINK’s new Doppler radar won’t miss a thing. “A light rain might be falling over Fort Myers, but because it hadn’t built up into a thunderstorm cloud there wouldn’t be a blip on the radar,” Sherman says.Ī missed rain shower is one thing, but the radars in Tampa and Miami could potentially miss more severe weather events in the Fort Myers area, like tornado activity. “The maximum range of how far each of those radars can ‘see’ is 150 miles,” explains WINK meteorologist KC Sherman.Īlthough Fort Myers is within range, those radars sometimes missed weather events. It provides new levels of accuracy, advance warning in the name of safety and superior technology.īefore WINK, The Weather Authority, acquired its new radar, the closest dual-pol Doppler radars were in Tampa and Miami. And advance warning capabilities are a life saver.įor WINK, The Weather Authority, the new radar checks all the boxes.

Dual-pol Doppler radar allows WINK, The Weather Authority, to see the pattern develop, adding precious advance warning to those in the storm’s path. “And that’s a problem.”Ī tornado formation follows a pattern as it develops. “If we think we have a possible tornado at the base of a cloud, but we can only see the top half of a storm, then we can’t see the rotation,” Devitt says. This is particularly important for storms that might yield tornadoes.

“We want to see most of, if not the entire storm,” Devitt says.

#Nbc2 weather doppler full#

This can be a challenge for meteorologists who want to give viewers a full breakdown of a weather event. But the bottom half, beneath the pulse of the radar beams, goes undetected. Less powerful radars at a greater distance from weather fronts only allow meteorologists to see the top half of storms. “We’ll be closer to these storms, and we’ll be able to see inside them.” “The value of having this radar is incredibly important,” says Matt Devitt, WINK chief meteorologist. WINK’s dual-pol Doppler radar is the most powerful in Southwest Florida, three times more powerful than any other station’s radar.

Now WINK’s storm reporting is even stronger thanks to its new WINK Doppler 3X dual-polarization radar. WINK, the Weather Authority, was already the station viewers in Southwest Florida trusted most for storm coverage- especially during hurricane season. Southwest Florida’s newest, most powerful radar took its place, on May 27, atop a tower off of State Road 31 in Charlotte County.