The evolution of radar training in the National Weather Service

Operational use of radar within the National Weather Service (NWS) has evolved from the days of the WSR-57S and WSR- 74C in the 1970s and 1980s, to the WSR-88D using a stand-alone workstation of the 1990s, and to the present day use of WSR-88D data in integrated workstations. There has also been an evolution in the delivery of training. Increased desktop computing capacity and higher bandwidth has allowed richer interactive on-line training, including the use of live teletraining and virtual classrooms. Radar training has evolved to a blended approach with a reduction in costly classroom training and a corresponding increase in the on-station training. This paper will describe the evolution of radar training in the NWS from the classrooms in Kansas City, MO in the 1970s and 1980s and in Norman, Oklahoma in the early- to mid-90s to the distance learning courses from the late 90s to present. Also presented will be a look at the future training challenges of both new radar functionality (Open RDA and Dual Polarization) and new radars (FAA radars, CASA, and Phased Array).