Portland Radar KRTX Down For Upgrade Aug 19th to Sept 3rd 2019

PORTLAND RADAR (KRTX) DOWN FOR UPGRADE

BETWEEN AUGUST 19TH 2019 AND SEPTEMBER 3RD 2019.

Beginning on August 19, 2019, the Weather Surveillance Radar (WSR-88D) operated by the National Weather Service (NWS) in Portland, OR will be down for approximately 13 to 15 days for an important hardware upgrade. Once the project is started, the radar cannot be turned on again until the work is completed. The radar is expected to return to full operational service around September 3, 2019.

Technicians will refurbish and replace the radar pedestal, which is one of the most critical components of the radar necessary for antenna rotation and elevation positioning to capture accurate weather data in all directions from the radar site. The components are extremely heavy and will require removal of the protective radome by crane, replacement of the radar pedestal assembly and reinstalling the dome when the work is completed.  The WSR-88D weather radar and pedestal were designed to last 25 years when installed in the mid-1990s. The pedestal replacement is necessary to keep the weather radars operated by the NWS functioning well into the 2030s.

The pedestal refurbishment is the third major phase of the WSR-88D Service Life Extension Program (SLEP), a series of upgrades that will keep all of our nation’s weather radars viable into the 2030s. The National Weather Service, the United States Air Force, and the Federal Aviation Administration are investing $150 million in the 8-year program. The first phase of the SLEP was the installation of the new signal processor and the second phase was the refurbishment of the transmitter unit. Both of these upgrades have already been successfully completed on the Portland, OR radar. The fourth phase will be the refurbishment of the equipment shelters, which should be completed by 2023.

During the radar downtime, data from adjacent WSR-88D radars will be available, which include: Langley Hill, WA (KLGX) and Camano Island, WA (KATX). For direct access to any of these surrounding radar sites, please visit the following web page: https://radar.weather.gov/ or any number of websites and mobile/tablet apps where WSR-88D weather radar data is freely available in real time.

The KRTX WSR-88D, known as KRTX, is part of a network of 159 operational weather radars. The Radar Operations Center in Norman, Oklahoma provides lifecycle management and support this entire network of WSR-88Ds.

The National Weather Service in Portland, OR can also be found on the internet at: weather.gov/portland, and on social media at: facebook.com/NWSPortland, and twitter.com/NWSPortland