ACTION 8 LIFESAVER RADAR: New technology from Alabama

Posted: July 1, 2024, 5:47 p.m. CDT

Updated: July 1, 2024, 5:48 p.m. CDT

from
WAKA Action 8 News

Action 8’s new Lifesaver Radar was built here in Alabama.

The Climavision radar system was built at Enterprise Electronics Corporation in Enterprise. EEC has been in business since 1971, supplying radar and satellite solutions to companies worldwide.

This new radar is the product of a partnership between WAKA Action 8 and Climavision with the support of the law firm Johnny Adams.

“The ability to bring together the information from the weather service and the data they provide and then use this hyperlocal technology to provide a comprehensive view just has an incredible impact,” said Tara Leigh Goode, vice president of strategic partnerships and radar operations at Climavision.

The radar is located near the Alabama-Mississippi border. It was unveiled on Monday by Action 8 Chief Meteorologist Shane Butler and will be part of our weather forecasts starting immediately. The X-band radar offers ten times the resolution of existing radars.

It provides coverage in a “radar gap” in West Alabama that is not adequately covered by state radars. That’s because those radars are so far away that their beams reach high into the clouds due to the curvature of the Earth. That means tornadoes may be missed, putting lives at risk.

There have been calls for better radar coverage for years. But despite discussions about the problem, no one has yet found a solution.

This radar will be useful for people outside the radar gap area – in places like Selma and Montgomery – as it will provide a first look at approaching storms. The radar’s data will be shared with the National Weather Service so they can provide better observations and warnings for our part of the state.

Look for more weather updates from Action 8 in the coming weeks as we work to provide the best severe weather coverage possible to protect lives.