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New weather radar will deliver earlier and more accurate storm warnings across the Region of Murcia
State of the art dual technology will improve accuracy in detecting rain, hail and snow in Murcia and Alicante
A new weather radar operated by the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) is due to become operational in early March at Sierra de la Pila, bringing more accurate and detailed monitoring of storms across the Region of Murcia and parts of Alicante province.
The installation replaces the long-standing dome that has crowned the summit of the regional park, located in the north east of Murcia, for years. Earlier this month, a helicopter was used to remove the large spherical structure from the 1,200 metre peak and it will soon be replaced with a new polyhedral dome housing upgraded radar equipment.
According to Juan Esteban Palenzuela, Aemet’s delegate in the Region of Murcia, the new system uses dual polarisation technology, allowing weather scanning on both vertical and horizontal planes. This means meteorologists will be able to identify targets that were previously undetectable and better determine the type and intensity of precipitation. The radar will be able to distinguish more precisely between rain, snow and hail, improving warnings during episodes of severe weather affecting the area.
Aemet is in the process of upgrading or replacing its radar systems in towns across Spain with an investment of €80 million. The new systems have a coverage radius of up to 240 kilometres and are expected to be fully integrated into the wider European meteorological observation network by April.
Work at the Sierra de la Pila site began last year with improvements to the power supply and grounding systems. The previous infrastructure was damaged by a lightning strike in 2021, temporarily disrupting the transmission of weather data.
The new radar is expected to significantly strengthen forecasting capability across the south east of Spain.
>>> Follow our Murcia Weather Watch Facebook group for more weather updates or see our Weather & Climate page <<<
Image: @SierraLaPilaPR
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