Meteorologist David Guerrero traveled to Peachtree City to gives us an exclusive look at a doppler radar site and the importance of the tool during hurricane season.
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. — Editors note: This story is part of 13WMAZ’s Weather Impact Hurricane Season special, highlighting the impact of hurricanes and how to be prepared. You can watch that special on 13WMAZ+ on your Smart TV.
Radar is one of the most frequently used resources in our forecasts as it allows us to monitor current conditions and helps us plan for what’s coming in the short term.
Keith Stellman, the Meteorologist in Charge for the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, emphasized how vital the tool is for forecasting.
“The radar is probably the most important tool out of all of the tools that we have as a meteorologist to use,” Stellman said.
However, radar is vital for hurricanes, helping us track the storm’s position and intensity in real-time. It’s all done inside a dome that resembles a giant golf ball raised on a 100-foot tee.
I went to the National Weather Service in Peachtree City to enter the dome myself. It was turned off for our safety, but they could still demonstrate how the radar works.
The main part of the radar is a large dish on top of a giant pedestal. This dish frequently rotates 360 degrees and tilts in elevation after each rotation.
With each rotation and tilt, it shoots waves of energy into the atmosphere, picking up important information like precipitation, wind speeds, and tornadic rotation. Meteorologists take all that data and share it with you before and during a hurricane’s arrival to help you prepare for what’s coming.
This was especially the case during Hurricane Helene’s arrival in Central Georgia.
“In the case of Helene, it was vital for us to see how intact the eye wall still was well inland, and that told us a lot about how intense that storm still was well inland,” Stellman said.
Radar also helps us determine which areas are under the storm’s right side or “dirty side”, which generally receives the worst damage. This allows us to communicate more specifically and effectively to inform you of any incoming impacts.
Stay up to date with all the information you need to know about hurricane season with the 13WMAZ Weather Impact Hurricane Season special on 13WMAZ+. Find out how to download 13WMAZ+ on your Smart TV by clicking the link below.
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