KABR WSR-88D (weather service radar) is expected to be unavailable intermittently on Wednesday, October 26th and Thursday October 27th.

Beginning October 21, 2022, the KABR WSR-88D radar operated by the NOAA National Weather Service in Aberdeen, SD was scheduled to be down for approximately seven days for the replacement of the standby power generator, fuel tanks, and accompanying components. This activity is important to support the radar’s continuous operation during periods of commercial power outages, specifically when hazardous weather is present.

This generator update is the fourth of five major projects of the NEXRAD Service Life Extension Program, a series of upgrades and replacements that will keep our nation’s radars viable into the 2030’s. NOAA’s National Weather Service, the United States Air Force, and the Federal Aviation Administration are investing $150 million in the seven year program. Thus far, the KABR’s radar transmitter and receiver electronics have been updated, and the 16 foot tall, 17,420 lb. pedestal, which supports and rotates a 28 ft. diameter, 2,100 lb. parabolic dish was replaced with a refurbished one.  The Service Life Extension Program will complete in 2023, with an equipment shelter refurbishment.

During the downtime, the following adjacent radars may be consulted: Rapid City, SD (KUDX), Bismarck, ND (KBIS), Grand Forks, ND (KMVX), Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), Sioux Falls, SD (KFSD) and North Platte, NE (KLNX). For direct access to any of these surrounding radar sites, go to the following web page: https://radar.weather.gov  A single radar site can be viewed by going to the “Select View” menu option then clicking on “Local Radar” to select a single radar site.

The KABR WSR-88D is part of a network of 159 operational radars. The Radar Operations Center in Norman, Oklahoma, provides lifecycle management and support for all WSR-88Ds.

The National Weather Service in Aberdeen, SD website is www.weather.gov/abr and can be

found on social media at www.facebook.com/NWSAberdeen and

www.twitter.com/nwsaberdeen.