Beginning Sept. 10, the KGJX WSR-88D radar operated by the NOAA National Weather Service in Grand Junction will experience intermittent outages for seven to 10 days during the refurbishment of the transmitter. Old breakers and cables original to the radar will be replaced with modern fuses and new cables. This will help keep the 23-year-old radar operating smoothly for at least another two decades.
This transmitter update is the second major project of the NEXRAD Service Life Extension Program, a series of upgrades and replacements that will keep our nation's radars viable into the 2030s. NOAA's National Weather Service, the United States Air Force, and the Federal Aviation Administration are investing $150 million in the seven-year program.
The first project was the installation of the new signal processor. The two remaining projects are the refurbishment of the pedestal and equipment shelters. The Service Life Extension Program will be completed in 2022.
