Author Topic: NBC TV: Stormranger Doppler  (Read 6300 times)

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Offline SpringHillWeather

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NBC TV: Stormranger Doppler
« on: September 03, 2016, 06:23:21 PM »
I noticed on the local NBC weather last night while discusing the hurricane they mentioned they are using the latest technology to track the storm using their StormRanger weather truck network.

NBC New York StormRanger

StormRanger Video

« Last Edit: September 03, 2016, 06:50:48 PM by StatenIslandWeather »
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Offline CW2274

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Re: NBC TV: Stormranger Doppler
« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2016, 06:52:08 PM »
Doppler on wheels, been around at least 15+ years.

Offline SpringHillWeather

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Re: NBC TV: Stormranger Doppler
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2016, 06:56:34 PM »
They'd need a submarine for tracking hurricanes (wink,wink)!

Maybe make it amphibious   :grin:
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Offline SpringHillWeather

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Re: NBC TV: Stormranger Doppler
« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2016, 06:58:51 PM »
Doppler on wheels, been around at least 15+ years.

It reminded me from the movie Twister, "you stole my idea, unrealized, unrealized" when I first saw it.

So yeah, I guess its the latest gimmick to sell the weather   :-)
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Offline CW2274

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Re: NBC TV: Stormranger Doppler
« Reply #4 on: September 03, 2016, 07:02:28 PM »
Doppler on wheels, been around at least 15+ years.
So yeah, I guess its the latest gimmick to sell the weather   :-)
Gimmick or not, it can be a very useful tool.

Offline SpringHillWeather

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Re: NBC TV: Stormranger Doppler
« Reply #5 on: September 03, 2016, 07:09:13 PM »
Doppler on wheels, been around at least 15+ years.
So yeah, I guess its the latest gimmick to sell the weather   :-)
Gimmick or not, it can be a very useful tool.

My bad, so then there is value for them to invest and bring this online. 
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Offline CW2274

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Re: NBC TV: Stormranger Doppler
« Reply #6 on: September 03, 2016, 07:13:01 PM »
Doppler on wheels, been around at least 15+ years.
So yeah, I guess its the latest gimmick to sell the weather   :-)
Gimmick or not, it can be a very useful tool.

My bad, so then there is value for them to invest and bring this online.
I think the biggest advantage is for tornado chasing. Being able to slice a beam basically at ground level is huge for studying storm structure, velocities, ect.

Offline SpringHillWeather

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Re: NBC TV: Stormranger Doppler
« Reply #7 on: September 03, 2016, 07:22:41 PM »
Doppler on wheels, been around at least 15+ years.
So yeah, I guess its the latest gimmick to sell the weather   :-)
Gimmick or not, it can be a very useful tool.

My bad, so then there is value for them to invest and bring this online.
I think the biggest advantage is for tornado chasing. Being able to slice a beam basically at ground level is huge for studying storm structure, velocities, ect.

I see.  Does raising the platform on the truck make that much a difference?   On their website they have an image showing that the Tower doppler is scanning high, while the truck is able to scan at a lower heights.
 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

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Offline CW2274

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Re: NBC TV: Stormranger Doppler
« Reply #8 on: September 03, 2016, 07:31:41 PM »
Doppler on wheels, been around at least 15+ years.
So yeah, I guess its the latest gimmick to sell the weather   :-)
Gimmick or not, it can be a very useful tool.

My bad, so then there is value for them to invest and bring this online.
I think the biggest advantage is for tornado chasing. Being able to slice a beam basically at ground level is huge for studying storm structure, velocities, ect.

I see.  Does raising the platform on the truck make that much a difference?   On their website they have an image showing that the Tower doppler is scanning high, while the truck is able to scan at a lower heights.
 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Absolutely. The truck raise the radar just to keep the beam from "hitting" the truck. Permanent radars must raise the angle of the beam to avoid ground clutter. With the mobile, you can get right on top of the storm and cut into it from the ground up. Big deal.

Offline SpringHillWeather

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Re: NBC TV: Stormranger Doppler
« Reply #9 on: September 03, 2016, 07:32:25 PM »
Doppler on wheels, been around at least 15+ years.
So yeah, I guess its the latest gimmick to sell the weather   :-)
Gimmick or not, it can be a very useful tool.

My bad, so then there is value for them to invest and bring this online.
I think the biggest advantage is for tornado chasing. Being able to slice a beam basically at ground level is huge for studying storm structure, velocities, ect.

I think I understand it better now, they are showing how this can work specifically in each region.  As you mentioned Tornado's in mid-west, Snow on East, fires on West.
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« Last Edit: September 03, 2016, 07:34:32 PM by StatenIslandWeather »
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Offline SpringHillWeather

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Re: NBC TV: Stormranger Doppler
« Reply #10 on: September 03, 2016, 07:40:21 PM »
Doppler on wheels, been around at least 15+ years.
So yeah, I guess its the latest gimmick to sell the weather   :-)
Gimmick or not, it can be a very useful tool.

My bad, so then there is value for them to invest and bring this online.
I think the biggest advantage is for tornado chasing. Being able to slice a beam basically at ground level is huge for studying storm structure, velocities, ect.

I see.  Does raising the platform on the truck make that much a difference?   On their website they have an image showing that the Tower doppler is scanning high, while the truck is able to scan at a lower heights.
 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Absolutely. The truck raise the radar just to keep the beam from "hitting" the truck. Permanent radars must raise the angle of the beam to avoid ground clutter. With the mobile, you can get right on top of the storm and cut into it from the ground up. Big deal.

That makes sense now.  I gather beam for Doppler is narrow and with the ground angle you get can focus on the target area better.

Nice....
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Offline DaleReid

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Re: NBC TV: Stormranger Doppler
« Reply #11 on: September 03, 2016, 07:59:45 PM »
Oh my gosh, what a hype.

I wished I could find a spoof that Paul Douglas helped make when he worked for WCCO TV-4 in St. Paul/Minneapolis.

This was about 15 years ago or so and they were in the setting of all the stations getting their own radars, with one claiming a million watts, while others did, well whatever they claimed to do.

They were doing a spoof, and talking about Viper Weather Radar, or some such, and the end was the on-air personalities doing a scratching motion, like a tiger or lion clawing.

Truly laughed out loud at that the first time I saw it and for quite awhile afterwards.  Never failed to stop to watch it while the ran the ad.

I wonder how much a rig like that costs?  Is it a Vaisala based radar?  The radome black rather than white but I guess if you have enough power you don't care how relfective the paint is, especially with dual polarization X band performance!

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Offline CW2274

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Re: NBC TV: Stormranger Doppler
« Reply #12 on: September 03, 2016, 08:16:42 PM »
Oh my gosh, what a hype.

I wished I could find a spoof that Paul Douglas helped make when he worked for WCCO TV-4 in St. Paul/Minneapolis.

This was about 15 years ago or so and they were in the setting of all the stations getting their own radars, with one claiming a million watts, while others did, well whatever they claimed to do.

They were doing a spoof, and talking about Viper Weather Radar, or some such, and the end was the on-air personalities doing a scratching motion, like a tiger or lion clawing.

Truly laughed out loud at that the first time I saw it and for quite awhile afterwards.  Never failed to stop to watch it while the ran the ad.

I wonder how much a rig like that costs?  Is it a Vaisala based radar?  The radome black rather than white but I guess if you have enough power you don't care how relfective the paint is, especially with dual polarization X band performance!
I have no idea what "brand" of anything they're using. If the radar system and crew operating it are
 legitimate, saying mobile radar is "hype", is flat ignorant.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2016, 08:21:30 PM by CW2274 »

Offline DaleReid

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Re: NBC TV: Stormranger Doppler
« Reply #13 on: September 03, 2016, 08:40:49 PM »
Then we'll agree to disagree.

For a non-research implementation of the mobile unit (not NOAA, or a University) I'm very skeptical, especially when you actually watch the hype that the on-screen talking heads put to it, with the emphasis they use.

As if they can dispatch this truck to three states in time to get the data that our NWS radars cannot.

The stations' managers around here got into a advertising war with their weather alerts, literally scaring people including a few little old ladies I knew, with their constant screen scrolls and beeping and alerts. 


To wit, one winter with a supposed strong system approaching, FOR THREE DAYS all the evening programming had the beeeep, beeeeep, beeeep occur with the red banner and yellow text proclaiming an exceptionally dangerous storm was due and to take precautions, stock up, and all the things that those of us living in the midwest have done for years ignorant as we are, and this went on for literally three days before the storm was to hit.

People called the stations, bitching that they didn't need their programming interrupted nor to use the imminent danger that usually was reserved for tornado warnings, not watches even.

Yet, of course as you can imagine, the storm fizzled and we barely got a dusting and some wind with snow snakes.

That is the hype I'm referring to.  I didn't research the truck, I looked at the hyped up ad on their web site.

So to me, that is hype.  I fail to see how they can motor their little truck across three states in time to provide ADDITIONAL meaningful data to help the common citizen avoid injury.  This isn't altering the weather, and folks need to be aware of local conditions.

PS Thank goodness the station managers have backed way down from their alarmist ads and interruptions, with a much more agreeable method of actually educating the viewing audience rather than clanging their gong the loudest.  I notice that all the stations even with their own radar use the couple of predictive models that the weather service uses and also only break in with alerts as soon as the NWS issues them, not issuing them on their own accord.
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Offline CW2274

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Re: NBC TV: Stormranger Doppler
« Reply #14 on: September 03, 2016, 08:51:44 PM »
Hence why I said legitimate. If buffoons are running this, then they have way too much money on their hands and should be bitch slapped.

Offline BigOkie

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Re: NBC TV: Stormranger Doppler
« Reply #15 on: September 04, 2016, 12:18:54 AM »
Then we'll agree to disagree.

For a non-research implementation of the mobile unit (not NOAA, or a University) I'm very skeptical, especially when you actually watch the hype that the on-screen talking heads put to it, with the emphasis they use.

As if they can dispatch this truck to three states in time to get the data that our NWS radars cannot.

The stations' managers around here got into a advertising war with their weather alerts, literally scaring people including a few little old ladies I knew, with their constant screen scrolls and beeping and alerts. 


To wit, one winter with a supposed strong system approaching, FOR THREE DAYS all the evening programming had the beeeep, beeeeep, beeeep occur with the red banner and yellow text proclaiming an exceptionally dangerous storm was due and to take precautions, stock up, and all the things that those of us living in the midwest have done for years ignorant as we are, and this went on for literally three days before the storm was to hit.

People called the stations, bitching that they didn't need their programming interrupted nor to use the imminent danger that usually was reserved for tornado warnings, not watches even.

Yet, of course as you can imagine, the storm fizzled and we barely got a dusting and some wind with snow snakes.

That is the hype I'm referring to.  I didn't research the truck, I looked at the hyped up ad on their web site.

So to me, that is hype.  I fail to see how they can motor their little truck across three states in time to provide ADDITIONAL meaningful data to help the common citizen avoid injury.  This isn't altering the weather, and folks need to be aware of local conditions.

PS Thank goodness the station managers have backed way down from their alarmist ads and interruptions, with a much more agreeable method of actually educating the viewing audience rather than clanging their gong the loudest.  I notice that all the stations even with their own radar use the couple of predictive models that the weather service uses and also only break in with alerts as soon as the NWS issues them, not issuing them on their own accord.

In Oklahoma, wars like that had the potential of getting start, but over the last few years here, cooler heads have prevailed.  No crazy claims; each station has their 'cutting edge' radar but none of them goes on and on about it.  One station always talks about having the 'most accurate forecast' but I'm not sure how that could be verified.  I think most tv meteos in this part of the country understand they have a huge responsibility living and working in the heart of Tornado Alley.  I think all of them have tamped down the over-the-top claims and catchy services.  It's a pleasant surprise actually.
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Offline up10ad N9RJH

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Re: NBC TV: Stormranger Doppler
« Reply #16 on: September 05, 2016, 05:30:06 AM »
Who cares if it works; it's a bitchin' looking truck!   ;)
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Offline ocala

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Re: NBC TV: Stormranger Doppler
« Reply #17 on: September 05, 2016, 05:59:45 AM »
Who cares if it works; it's a bitchin' looking truck!   ;)
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