Miami NEXRAD will down for upgrade from 1/15 to 1/19

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Miami FL
100 PM EST Fri Jan 12 2018

Contacts:
Robert Garcia, Meteorologist/Radar Program Leader
robert.garcia@noaa.gov, 305-229-4522 ext. 241

Larry Kelly, Meteorologist/Deputy Radar Program Leader
larry.kelly@noaa.gov, 305-229-4522 ext. 228

Robert Molleda, Warning Coordination Meteorologist
robert.molleda@noaa.gov, 305-229-4522 ext. 223

Dr. Pablo Santos, Meteorologist In Charge
pablo.santos@noaa.gov, 305-229-4522 ext. 222

January 12, 2018

Beginning January 15th, the KAMX WSR-88D radar operated by the
NOAA National Weather Service in Miami, Florida will be down for
approximately five days for the refurbishment of the transmitter.
Although the form, fit, and function of the transmitter will
remain the same, old breakers and cables original to the radar
will be replaced with modern fuses and new cables. This will help
keep the 20-year-old radar operating smoothly for another 20
years.

This transmitter update is the second major project of the NEXRAD
Service Life Extension Program, a series of upgrades and
replacements that will keep our nations radars viable into the
2030s. NOAA National Weather Service, the United States Air
Force, and the Federal Aviation Administration are investing $150
million in the seven year program. The first project was the
installation of the new signal processor. The two remaining
projects are the refurbishment of the pedestal and equipment
shelters. The Service Life Extension Program will complete in
2022.

During the downtime, adjacent radars include: the FAA Terminal
Doppler Weather Radars at Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm
Beach, along National Weather Service radars in Tampa, Key West,
and Melbourne. For direct access to any of these surrounding
radar sites, go to the following web page:
https://radar.weather.gov/index.htm

The KAMX 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.

For a radar mosaic loop of the southeastern United States, visit:

https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Conus/southeast_loop.php

The National Weather Service in Miami, Florida can be found on social
media at Facebook and Twitter.