KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The weather radar that covers the Kansas City region is set to undergo a “major upgrade” next week.
The radar, which is operated from the National Weather Service’s office in Pleasant Hill, Missouri, was due for the upgrade after exceeding its 25-year service life.
Upgrades include refurbishing and replacing the pedestal, which helps the radar rotate and position to capture data from all directions.
Due to the weight of the components, technicians will need to use cranes to complete their work.
After the repairs, NWS hopes the radar will have another 20 years of service remaining.
During the two-week repair, weather officials will take the radar offline.
But Kansas City will still have radar coverage thanks to nearby radars in Topeka, Omaha, Des Moines, Davenport, St. Louis, Springfield and Wichita.
Kansas City’s WSR-88D radar is part of a network of 159 radars across the country. The upgrade is part of an eight-year, $135 million program nationwide.
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