KEWX (New Braunfels) radar down for two weeks beginning January 27, 2020 during upgrade


Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX
650 PM CST Tue Jan 14 2020

...PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Beginning January 27, 2020, the KEWX WSR-88D Radar operated by
NOAA's National Weather Service in New Braunfels, Texas will be
down for approximately two weeks for an important upgrade.
Technicians will refurbish and replace the pedestal, one of the
most critical components of the radar, which is necessary for
antenna rotation and positioning to capture data in all
directions. The components are extremely heavy and will require
the radome to be removed by crane and replaced when the work is
completed.

The radar and pedestal were designed to last 25 years, and this radar 
has exceeded its life-span. This activity is necessary to keep the
radar functioning for another 20 years or more.

The pedestal refurbishment is the third major project of the NEXRAD
Service Life Extension Program, a series of upgrades that will keep
our nations radars viable into the 2030s. NOAA's National
Weather Service, the United States Air Force, and the Federal
Aviation Administration are investing 135 million in the eight
year program. The first project was the installation of the new
signal processor and the second project was the refurbishment of
the transmitter. The fourth project will be the refurbishment of
the equipment shelters. The Service Life Extension Program will be
complete in 2023.

During the downtime, adjacent radars will be available, including:
KGRK, the Granger Radar in Williamson County,
KCRP, the Corpus Christi Radar, and 
KDFX, the Laughlin Air Force Base Radar in Kinney County.
For direct access to any of these surrounding radar sites, 
visit the following web page:
https://radar.weather.gov.

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

The National Weather Service in New Braunfels, Texas can be found on
social media at https://twitter.com/NWSSanAntonio and
http://facebook.com/NWSSanAntonio. If you have any questions
please contact Warning Coordination Meteorologist Paul Yura at
paul.yura@noaa.gov.

$$