Heavy to Excessive Rainfall in the Southeast; Critical Fire Weather in the Northern Plains/Upper Midwest and Southwest

A slow-moving storm system will continue to bring thunderstorms, heavy rain and flooding potential from Southeast Florida, into the Southern to Central Appalachians and the Mid-Atlantic regions today into Wednesday. Gusty winds and dry fuels will support widespread critical fire weather in the northern Plains into the Upper Midwest and the Southwest. Read More >

Beginning on Thursday, March 18th, 2021, the KDMX WSR-88D operated by NOAA’s National Weather Service in Des Moines (Johnston), Iowa will be out of service for UP TO 8 DAYS for an important upgrade. Technicians will refurbish & replace components of the Emergency Power Generator. This activity is necessary to keep the radar functioning for another 20 years or more.

The Emergency Power Generator marks the fourth major project of the NEXRAD Service Life Extension Program (SLEP), a series of upgrades that will keep our nation’s radars viable into the 2030s. NOAA’s National Weather Service, the United States Air Force, and the Federal Aviation Administration are investing $135 million in the eight year program. Previous projects already completed include: installation of the new signal processor, refurbishment of the transmitter, and replacement of the pedestal. The SLEP will be completed nationwide in 2023.

During the downtime, adjacent radars will be available, including: Minneapolis, MN; LaCrosse, WI; Davenport, IA; Omaha, NE; and Sioux Falls, SD. For direct access to any of these surrounding radar sites, visit the following web page: https://radar.weather.gov/

The KDMX WSR-88D is part of a network of 159 operational radars. The Radar Operations Center in Norman, Oklahoma, provides lifecycle management and support for all WSR-88Ds.

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Heavy to Excessive Rainfall in the Southeast; Critical Fire Weather in the Northern Plains/Upper Midwest and Southwest

Major Hardware Upgrade for KDMX WSR-88D Radar