As part of the Radar Network and Doppler Services Upgrade Project (RNDSUP), the Bureau of Meteorology will be implementing several new services over 5 years. The key services outcomes for the project are as follows:

• Improved forecasts of severe weather phenomena for the general public.
• Improved forecasts of severe weather for aviation.
• Improved rainfall monitoring and nowcasting (i.e. very short range forecasting).
• Greater support for emergency services.
• New displays of severe weather related information for media, emergency services and the community.

The underlying philosophy of the current project is engaging the people who will be using the information to assist the Bureau to develop real service improvement. This will occur using the very close links the Bureau enjoys with key groups including emergency services and media outlets, as well as through examining how radar is used at the moment by the community at large. This is an iterative process, and effective service improvement should continue into the future.

The first new service that will be implemented as part of RNDSUP is enhanced web radar images for the new Doppler radars. Current web radar images are based on data with a resolution of 2km. The new Doppler radars will produce images with finer detail using data with a resolution of 500m. Below, an example of a radar image from the existing Sellicks Hill radar (2km resolution) is on the left, and a more detailed image from the Buckland Park radar is on the right.

Image from conventional radar at Sellicks Hill (2km resolution)		Image from new Doppler radar at Buckland Park (500m resolution)

Graphical Severe Thunderstorm Warnings

As part of RNDSUP the Bureau has already implemented an enhanced severe thunderstorm warning service in New South Wales (including the Australian Capital Territory), Queensland and Victoria. It is planned to extend this service to South Australia and eventually the Northern Territory, Tasmania and Western Australia. The aim of these warnings is to better define the areas under threat when dangerous thunderstorms are occurring. The new products contain graphics that will complement the Bureau's traditional text-based warning products. An example of a detailed Graphical Severe Thunderstorm Warning is given below:

See also the information on Graphical Severe Thunderstorm Warnings.

Rainfall Accumulations

Another exciting product suite that will be released as part of RNDSUP are radar-derived rainfall data products. The rainfall accumulation products will allow users to view the amount of rain that has occurred over a given time period, i.e. 10 minutes, 1 hour, 24 hours, since 9am. An example of a prototype 24 hour accumulation product for the new Buckland Park Doppler radar is given below:

Rainfall Forecasts

The rainfall forecast products will allow users to view a projection of the amount of rain that will fall over a given time period, i.e. 10 minutes, 1 hour, 24 hours, since 9am. It is anticipated that these products will enhance current services both by improving the information available to weather and flood forecasters, and by expanding the radar-derived meteorological information available to the public.

An integral and important part of RNDSUP is the implementation of a new national radar training program for Australian forecasters. As the Doppler radars are implemented in each state, forecasters will undergo extensive radar training. The training enables forecasters to refresh and update their radar skills and knowledge. The new Bureau Doppler radars will supply high quality data that will not only allow forecasters to diagnose rainfall but also wind flows in the atmosphere. A particular focus of the training program is enhancing skills and knowledge that will allow forecasters to apply the new Doppler velocity data to the forecasting of wind changes and wind flows, and to ascertain the potential severity of a thunderstorm. The image below is taken from the Doppler radar at Buckland Park. The air is moving in the directions shown by the arrows.
See also information on Doppler.

Radar Data Viewer

RNDSUP is also investigating the creation of a new Radar Data Viewer. The radar web site is the most popular Bureau web site, and receives much feedback and comment. It is clear from this feedback that the public value and respect the information the Bureau provides, and in response to the this feedback we are considering developing a new and flexible radar viewer. The viewer would allow the user to specify the features to be shown on the backgrounds and display them as overlays. Possible overlays vary from rivers, water bodies, roads, railways and aerodromes to severe weather warning areas and satellite information. An example of a prototype radar data viewer image is shown below: