Extensive work continues across Puerto Rico to restore what life was like before Hurricane Maria tore through the island. One of the restorative processes has been getting a permanent doppler radar system back up and running.
This tweet from NWS San Juan shows one of the final images the previous radar took before it was hit and damaged by Hurricane Maria.
Hurricane Maria approaching Puerto Rico! Huracán María acercándose a Puerto Rico! #prwx #usviwx pic.twitter.com/wLKo5IrtNM
— NWS San Juan (@NWSSanJuan) September 20, 2017
Maria’s major hurricane-force winds tore the previous radar apart.
The National Weather Service meteorologists had to rely on satellite data over Puerto Rico to get a sense of where the rains were. See the example of the satellite image with corresponding alert below:
Flood advisory issued/Advertencia de inundaciones emitida. Please exercise caution/Favor de ejercer precaucion. #prwx pic.twitter.com/AeGXLbMDzB
— NWS San Juan (@NWSSanJuan) October 18, 2017
A little over a month later, a temporary radar system was installed to help forecasters track rain and thunderstorms across the island. As you can imagine, it must have been incredibly difficult to issue weather alerts for the recently-struck communities without a solid weather system such as a doppler radar.
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Fast forward to this month where the new structure and radar dome are being assembled.
Pictures from yesterday's progress @NWSSanJuan #wsr88d pic.twitter.com/gmep5YKRQE
— NEXRAD ROC (@NEXRADROC) April 25, 2018
The new radar system is expected to be completed in June, roughly nine months after Maria swept through.
For WeatherNation, Meteorologist Steve Glazier