FAA Surveillance Radar Data as a complement to the WSR-88D network

This paper discusses the capabilities of FAA Surveillance radars as potential adjuncts to the WSR-88D network. Deployed radars capable of providing operationally beneficial environmental measurements include 45 Terminal Doppler Weather Radars (TDWR), 40 Air Route Surveillance Radars (ARSR-4) and almost 300 Airport Surveillance Radars (ASR-9 and ASR-11). These complement the WSR-88D network by providing additional measurement locations (e.g. TDWRs and ASRs are generally sited closer to population centers than the WSR-88D) and significantly faster update rates. Expected capability enhancements would include:

(i) better detection and tracking of mesoscale boundaries which may be below the radar horizon for the widely spaced WSR-88D network; (ii) better detection of severe weather signatures owing to closer proximity to the storms of interest and (in the case of TDWR) finer cross-range resolution; (iii) improved hydrological estimates in some areas owing to better sampling of the rain-field at low altitude; (iv) improved thunderstorm location and tracking for aviation owing to the significantly faster volumetric update rates of the FAA radars.

This paper will describe enhancement programs underway for each of these radars that will improve their ability to provide weather reflectivity and Doppler velocity imagery to support the above functions. Data and analysis illustrating the benefits described above will be provided.