The Flexible Array of Radars and Mesonets (FARM) Facility is an extensive mobile/quickly-deployable (MQD) multiple-Doppler radar and in-situ instrumentation network hosted by the University of Illinois, with a design focus on obtaining targeted observations in Severe Local Storms.
The FARM has comprised four mobile / quickly-deployable radars: two X-band dual-polarization, dual-frequency (DPDF) , Doppler On Wheels DOW6/DOW7, the Rapid-Scan DOW (RSDOW), and a quickly-deployable (QD) DPDF C-band On Wheels (COW).
The newest FARM capability is the fully-mobile mini-COW. The mini-COW is a 1 MW transmitter, 1.5 degree beamwidth, 50 deg/sec, dual-polarization, staggered PRT, fully TITAN and GURU compatible C-band mobile radar fully integrated with FARM X- and C-band raars
The FARM also includes 3 mobile mesonet (MM) vehicles with 3.5-m masts, an array of rugged QD weather stations (PODNET), QD weather stations deployed on infrastructure such as light/power poles (POLENET), four disdrometers, six MQD upper air sounding systems and a Mobile Operations and Repair Center (MORC).
The FARM’s integration of radar, in situ, and sounding systems provides robust kinematic, thermodynamic, and microphysical observations. Components of FARM (previously called the DOW Facility) have deployed to >30 projects during 1995-2022 in North and South America and Europe (including COPS and MAP), obtaining pioneering observations of a myriad of small spatial scale and short temporal scale phenomena including tornadoes, hurricanes, lake-effect snow storms, aircraft-affecting turbulence, convection initiation, microbursts, intense precipitation systems, boundary layer structures and evolution, airborne hazardous substances, coastal storms, wildfires and wildfire suppression efforts, weather modification effects, and mountain/alpine winds and precipitation.
This poster will focus on the design, capabilities, and most recent updates to the FARM Facility, including very recent and anticipated future missions, including LEE (2022-2023), PERILS-2022 and 2023, ICE-CHIP (205--2026), CROCUS (2024-2026), Tornado Structure Study (2023-2024), CREST 2025, PROMO 2024-2025, and HURRICANE-BL 2024-2025.
- Indicates paper has been withdrawn from meeting
- Indicates an Award Winner