NWS Glasgow Getting Radar Upgrades

Beginning Monday, April 3, The National Weather Service Forecast Office in Glasgow will be doing upgrades to the weather radar. The upgrades are expected to last approximately three days, during which time the radar will be down.

If a threat of significant weather presents itself during the lead up of the outage, the upgrades will be postponed to ensure no significant weather events are missed. During the outage, radar coverage will be available from adjacent sites including Billings and Great Falls.

Technicians will be installing important enhancements, including a new signal processor, which will improve processing speed and data quality while also improving overall radar functionality and data security. According to Warning Coordination Meteorologist Patrick Gilchrist, the purpose of these upgrades is to extend the operational life of the radar.

These improvements are the first of four major upgrades planned in the next five years to replace and refurnish major components of the 20-year-old radar. These upgrades also ensure the radars will be kept operational into the 2030s. The $150 million dollar investment is being made by the NOAA National Weather Service, United States Air Force and Federal Aviation Administration.

If you have any questions or concerns, contact Gilchrist at 228-4042.