The Doppler Weather Radar
Doppler weather radar has come a long way since its beginning. In 1964, the first Doppler radar was commissioned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The NOAA used the first 3-cm Doppler to receive radio signals from storms. The first few instances of “tornado tracking” were experimental, and soon the NOAA scientists realized that this system was not the best radar, since it was not big enough to receive all the necessary signals.
In 1973, the NOAA’s recently upgraded 10-cm Doppler was observed by the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL). For the first time in history, a tornado’s life cycle was captured both in data and on film. This data revealed the tornado’s circular motion, and the clouds inside the storm rotating around a centripetal point of rotation. This weather detector radar system would help increase the time for getting out severe weather reports to the residents of the area.
Scientists sought to increase their knowledge of how storms like these formed. One particular storm in May of 1973 cut right through the heart of Union City, Oklahoma. Union City lies in the center of the infamous “Tornado Alley” region of the United States. With the data received by the scientists, they were able to start planning upgrades and improvements of the Doppler weather radar so it could be a more reliable asset to the government and the residents.
The Doppler system maps weather radar by measuring the motion inside these very hostile storms. Over time, scientists discovered that tornadoes produce a unique signature; different from regular storms. And as time went on, they were able to recognize this pattern, which they later called the “tornadic vortex” signature.
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