Canadian weather radar network


The Canadian weather radar network consists of 31 weather radars spanning Canada's most populated regions. Their primary purpose is the early detection of precipitation, its motion and the threat it poses to life and property.
Each had until 2018 a range of in radius around the site to detect reflectivity, 3 angles with a range of, for detecting velocity pattern, and an extra long range at low elevation angle of but strongly folded for latter same purpose.
The renewal of the network, from 2018 to 2023, with new S-Band radars brings these numbers respectively to for reflectivity and for full Doppler coverage. Furthermore, the new radars are dual-polarized which means precipitation type can be estimated directly.

History

Research in weather radars in Canada began at the end of the Second World War with "Project Stormy Weather". After the war, J.S. Marshall continued at McGill University the work with the "Stormy Weather Group". The Canadian network was thus gradually formed and by 1997, there were 19 weather radars of two kinds across the country: 18 five centimeter wavelength radars and 1 ten centimeter wavelength at McGill, all of the radars detected reflectivity and are equipped with Doppler capabilities.
Environment Canada received approval in 1998 to upgrade the network to Doppler standard and to add 12 more radars with the operational characteristics coming from King City weather radar station, the research radar of Environment Canada. However, McGill radar, while being part of the network, is owned by McGill University. It is a research as well as an operational radar and is modified independently. The Jimmy Lake and Lac Castor stations are owned and operated by the Department of Defense, these are also part of the network.
In February 2017, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, announced the signature of a $83‑million contract with Selex ES to buy 20 new radars with the most modern technology available to update the network. The first radar was installed in Radisson, SK in the fall of 2017. The second radar was installed in the summer of 2018 at Blainville in the Montreal region to replace the aging McGill radar. 2018 will also see replacement radars at Foxwarren MB, Timmins ON, and Spirit River AB with the rest being replaced sequentially by 2023. An additional radar will be installed in the Lower Athabasca region in Alberta and the contract also contains options to replace all radars in the Canadian Weather Radar Network, by March 31, 2023

Characteristics before 2018

Because the network is using C band radars, compromises had to be used between maximum reflectivity range and maximum non ambiguous velocities. The actual scanning strategy is divided in two separate scans over 10 minutes:
The McGill radar uses a S-band transmitter instead of a C-band transmitter to acquire reflectivities and velocities during each of its 24 elevation angles with the same 5 minute cycle time.

Modernization project

Environment and Climate Change Canada received the funding from the Treasury Board in 2011 to undergo a major modernization project called 'WES Renewal' to upgrade to dual polarization all Canadian Radars in two separate five year plans. Complete network stabilization and systemic problems resolution were also part of this major effort by Environment and Climate Change Canada. The first five years concentrated on the upgrading and stabilizing the existing radars. Then all Canadian weather radars will be replaced with a dual polarization S-band radar between 2017 and 2023. A new radar, owned and operated by ECCC, has been installed in Blainville to replace the use of the McGill radar. As well, a new radar will be installed in the Lower Athabasca area..
The new radar chosen is the Selex METEOR 1700S which is fully Doppler and dual polarized:
These new S-Band radars offer more flexibility over the previous C-Band radars. The scanning strategy of 17 angles scanned in 6 minutes, and the new dual-polarization feature provide:
The first modernization process began in the fall of 1998 with the opening of Bethune radar and ended in 2004 with the one in Timmins. The replacement of C-band 250 kW Magnetron single-pol radars with S-band 1MW Klystron dual-pol radars began in 2017 and will end in 2023.
SiteLocationProvinceCoordinatesID/call signBandTypeCallsign meaningNotes
AldergroveVancouverBritish ColumbiaC98E-
BethuneReginaSaskatchewanSSelex 1700SBethuneNew radar commissioned in August 2019 replacing 98A A temporary mobile X-band radar was deployed during the upgrade.
BlainvilleBlainville
QuébecSSelex 1700SBlainVilleNew radar commissioned at the end of September 2018, replacing McGill radar.
BrittGeorgian BayOntarioC98ABritt
CarvelEdmontonAlbertaC98E
ChipmanCentral New BrunswickNew Brunswick
SSelex 1700SNew Brunswick ChipmanNew radar commissioned in September2019 replacing 98E
DrydenWestern OntarioOntarioC98EDrydenscheduled for replacement in 2020
ExeterSouthwestern OntarioOntario
SSelex 1700SExeterNew radar commissioned in November 2019 replacing 98A
FoxwarrenEastern Saskatchewan/Western ManitobaManitobaSSelex 1700SFoxwarrenRadar commissioned in September 2018, replacing CXFW, a C-band radar. A temporary mobile X-band radar was deployed during the upgrade until October 31, 2018.
FranktownEastern OntarioOntarioC98AFranktown-
GoreCentral Hants CountyNova ScotiaC98AGore-
HolyroodEastern NewfoundlandNewfoundland and LabradorC98Rscheduled for replacement in 2020
Jimmy LakeNW Saskatchewan/NE AlbertaSaskatchewanC98E-
King CitySouthern OntarioOntarioC98AKing City Radar-
Lac CastorSaguenay RiverQuebecC98E-
LandrienneAmosQuebec
SSelex 1700SLandrienne AmosRadar commissioned in October 2019, replacing the previous 98R CXLA C-band radar.
Marble MountainWestern NewfoundlandNewfoundland and LabradorC98AMarble Mountain-
Marion BridgeSoutheastern Cape Breton CountyNova ScotiaSSelex 1700SMarion BridgeRadar commissioned in October 2019, replacing the previous CXMB C-band radar.
Montreal RiverSault Ste MarieOntario
SSelex 1700SMontreal RiverRadar commissioned in November 2019, replacing the previous 98E WGJ C-band radar.
Mount SickerVictoriaBritish ColumbiaC98AMount SickerSuffered major hardware failure in November 2017, to be decommissioned on December 6, 2018. S-band replacement to be installed in 2021.
Mount Silver StarVernonBritish ColumbiaC98ASilver Star-
Prince GeorgeNorthern B.C.British ColumbiaC98RPrince George-
RadissonSaskatoonSaskatchewanSSelex 1700SRadissonRadar commissioned in February 2018, replacing CXRA, a C-band radar.
SchulerMedicine HatAlbertaC98EBurstallThis RADAR was originally planned to be located at Burstall, Saskatchewan. Scheduled for replacement in 2020.
Smooth Rock FallsSmooth Rock FallsOntarioSSelex 1700SSmooth Rock Falls Initially known as Timmins CXTI, then Northeast Ontario. Finally Smooth Rock Falls with the dual polarization upgrade Commissioned in 2018/10.
Spirit RiverGrande PrairieAlbertaSSelex 1700SSpirit RiverThis radar was replaced in 2018 and commissioned in Feb 2019 replacing CWWW a C-band radar that had been in operation since 2001/10
StrathmoreCalgaryAlbertaSSelex 1700SStrathmoreRadar commissioned in November 2019, replacing the previous 98A C-band radar. A temporary mobile X-band radar was deployed during the upgrade.
Superior WestLasseter LakeOntarioC98ENipigon
Val d'IrèneLower St. LawrenceQuebecC98AAmquischeduled for replacement in 2020
VilleroySouthwest of Quebec CityQuebecC98RVilleroyscheduled for replacement in 2020
WoodlandsWinnipegManitobaC98AWoodlandsscheduled for replacement in 2020

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