National Weather Service receives new updates to doppler radar in Paducah, Ky.

PADUCAH, Ky. (KFVS) - The doppler radar, also known as WSR-88D is located at the National Weather Service Office in Paducah.

For the past several weeks, the radar has received some major upgrades. The upgrades came in a four-part project called SLEP’t the “Service Life Extension Project.”

We met with NWS warning coordination meteorologist Christine Wielgous, who said the radar has been a crucial weather forecasting tool for over 28 years and will continue to be operational through the 2030s with SLEP’t upgrades.

“We have to try and do things to try and extend the life of the radar as long as we can. This SLEP’t program is part of that process,” said Wielgous. “The Doppler Radar is an essential tool to allows us to do that job, and it’s not only utilized by the weather service office, but it is one of the most widely used operations systems in the country.”

The doppler radar received new and refurbished equipment thanks to the $150 million SLEP’t program investment by the NOAA, National Weather Service, The United States Air Force and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Wielgous said the new upgrades from SLEP’t will aid in capturing and producing data that could impact the public. The doppler radar makes it possible for both meteorologists and the general public to predict potential weather.

”I think it’s important that we are doing all we can to extend the life of the radar so that it can continue to be a tool that we utilize to help save lives and property,” said Wielgous.

So far the doppler radar has received a new signal processor and refurbishment on the transmitter and pedestal. The last phase of the SLEP’t program is refurbishing the equipment shelter, which the NWS office states they hope to complete by the end of the year.