NWS St. Louis Radar Down for Major Upgrade Beginning March 4, 2024

National Weather Service St. Louis Announces Radar Outage During Major Upgrade

Beginning March 4th, 2024, the WSR-88D radar operated by the National Weather Service in St. Louis will be down for approximately two weeks for an important upgrade. Technicians will refurbish and replace the pedestal, one of the most critical components of the radar, which is necessary for antenna rotation and positioning to capture data in all directions. The components are extremely heavy and will require the radome to be removed by crane and replaced when the work is completed.

The radar and pedestal were designed to last 25 years, and this radar has exceeded its life-span. This activity is necessary to keep the radar functioning for another 20 years or more.

The pedestal refurbishment is the third 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. The National Weather Service, the United States Air Force, and the Federal Aviation Administration are investing $135 million in the eight year program. The SLEP is a series of 4 different upgrades to the radar, with this phase being the final phase of the program.

During the two week downtime, adjacent radars will be available, including: TDWR St. Louis, WSR-88D Lincoln, IL, WSR-88D Paducah, KY, WSR-88D Springfield, MO and WSR-88D Kansas City, MO. For direct access to any of these surrounding radar sites, visit the following web page: https://radar.weather.gov/. The St. Louis 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.

The National Weather Service in St. Louis, MO can be found on Facebook at “National Weather Service St. Louis” and on Twitter/X @NWSStLouis. Updates throughout this upgrade will be posted to these social media channels.