dailyloe.com – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration unveiled three new mobile weather radars on March 30, 2026. These units will deploy directly to severe weather events like tornadoes and wildfires. This initiative aims to provide real-time, high-quality data to forecasters.
According to DaNa Carlis, Ph.D., director of NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory, this is a game changer for public safety. The upgrade increases mobile radar numbers from one to three. It also fundamentally improves data quality for decision-makers.
The state-of-the-art radars are mounted on heavy-duty trucks. They can be positioned closer to storms than fixed radar networks. This proximity closes observational gaps in atmospheric processes.
Each truck carries a research-grade radar unit with onboard workspace. Two trucks are equipped with X-band radar systems. The third truck carries a C-band radar system.
This mobile fleet will target tornadoes, wildfires, hail storms, and flash flooding. Researchers will document extreme hazards with unprecedented detail. The data will provide critical insight into developing threats.
The technology allows observation of hazardous weather in real time. It was developed by the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory. The goal is to significantly expand weather safety research.[]
Source: NOAA (.gov)
