As part of an ongoing initiative from the federal government to update Environment Canada’s equipment work is now underway on the Gore radar station.
Work has been ongoing since late April, but recently users of the Environment Canada’s radar tracker have been noticing less coverage.
Environment Canada Meteorologist Ian Hubbard says the work is being done now as a new radio tower needed to be installed and to that they need consistent days of good weather with low wind.
Hubbard says the Gore station provides Doppler coverage for most of Nova Scotia’s mainland, so coverage of it will be limited until the work is complete.
The work has now reached a stage where coverage is limited and according to Environment Canada, they will only be able to provide intermittent coverage until the work is complete.
Hubbard says despite the Doppler radar being shut down they are still equipped to forecast, “There are other stations nearby that give us a picture of what’s going on and as meteorologists, we have a multitude of tools that are used to develop accurate forecasts.”
According to Hubbard, most other weather services in the region rely on their Doppler radar system, so until the work is done that information will not be available.
Environment Canada says the work should wrap up in late July, but they will need a week or so after to properly calibrate their systems.
Once installed the new system will enhance Environment Canada’s radar capabilities. Hubbard says the new radar will double its range and scans will be done every six minutes as opposed to ten. The new system will also give more accurate outlines of storm systems that will improve tracking. It also will enable Environment Canada to differentiate snow from rain more easily when it detects precipitation.
