Weathernews Inc. has installed the high-frequency compact EAGLE weather radar in Chiba Prefecture and initiated a field test to verify its efficacy, evaluate the accuracy of the radar and make final adjustments until June 2022. Weathernews’ proprietary EAGLE radar is a compact meteorological radar that performs high-speed 360-degree scans of its periphery and observes the spatial structures of clouds at a high frequency. The radar is characterised by its ability to perform three-dimensional observations in 30 seconds, unlike the current WITH radars that require five minutes. The radar enables near real-time tracking of the development of cumulonimbus clouds within a 50 km radius, making it possible to capture guerilla thunderstorms, linear precipitation zones, heavy snow, wind gusts, hail, and other sudden, localized weather events with greater accuracy.
The Weathernews Forecast Centre will monitor the radar and utilise the observation data to improve forecast accuracy. The company will also develop new services, such as support for road management companies in making snow removal decisions. The company is planning to install the radar in a total of 50 locations in Asia within two years to reinforce the global weather monitoring system.
Weathernews has been working on the development of the EAGLE radar in collaboration with the University of Oklahoma since 2014. The company also signed a memorandum of understanding with Nanowave in June 2017 regarding the mass production of radars. Although the company fell behind on its initial plan due to changes in the specifications and production lines for the meteorological radars, as well as the effect of the global semiconductor shortage, the company said it will be installing the radars in a total of 50 locations throughout Asia within the next two years under the current plan. Weathernews will continue to install radars and strengthen the weather monitoring system in Asian regions, where there is insufficient observation data.
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