Upgrades complete on local national weather radar system

Southern Alberta Newspapers

Upgrades to the national weather radar system, including a station near Medicine Hat, are complete, the federal Environment and Climate Change ministry announced on March 15.

The last of 33 stations was brought online recently on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia after the entire $83-million program was announced in 2017 to expand coverage, produce better data and give more frequent updates.

Upgrades at Schuler in Southeast Alberta were completed in the summer of 2020, expanding its conventional radar range from 250 to 330 kilometres.

Nationwide, Doppler capacity quardrupled to four million square kilometres, which now covers areas that are home to 99 per cent of Canada’s populations.

Other stations in Alberta are located at Strathmore, Cold Lake, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray and Carvel, near Edmonton. Stations in Saskatchewan are located near Saskatoon and Regina.