National Weather Service’s Wakefield radar will be down for 2 weeks during upgrades

The Wakefield office of the National Weather Service is making major improvements to its KAKQ WSR-88D radar, prompting a two-week outage in the meantime.

According to an update from the weather service office, technicians will refurbish and replace the radar’s pedestal, which is necessary for antenna rotation and positioning to capture data in all directions. Work will begin June 3, weather permitting.

During the outage, adjacent radars will be available, including those in Sterling, Roanoke, Morehead City, Raleigh and Dover, Delaware. Because the parts needed for the upgrade are so heavy, the radome (a structural, weatherproof enclosure that protects a radar antenna) needs to be removed by crane and replaced when the work is completed. According to the weather service, the radar and pedestal were designed to last 25 years, and this radar has exceeded its lifespan.

“This activity is necessary to keep the radar functioning for another 20 years or more,” the notice reads.

Wakefield’s upgrade is part of a larger effort to keep radars viable into the next decade. The National Weather Service, the United States Air Force and the Federal Aviation Administration are investing $135 million in an eight-year program, known as the NEXRAD Service Life Extension Program.

Eliza Noe, eliza.noe@virginiamedia.com