New Exeter radar station will better predict severe weather

New weather radar station under construction Preparation for a new radar station in Exeter, Ont. Is underway, and will help better detect sever weather. Sean Irvine has details.

Crews have begun to prepare the site of a new weather radar station for southwestern Ontario.

To be built directly in front of the current radar station east of Exeter, Environment Canada is spending $4-million to upgrade its weather forecasting abilities.

The new radar will be offer dual polarization, which will transmit more data to predict weather and severe storms.

The biggest advantage will be range. The new radar will spot developing snow, rain and severe weather - including tornadoes - 240 kilometres away.

The current radar can only extended out half that distance.

Environment Canada’s Pat Wong tells CTV News site preparation is underway, with “construction beginning on the tower starting in April. We’ll get it online by the end of July.”

In the short interim period between the new radar going online and the old one being taken down, Wong says a temporary radar will be installed that will be used in conjunction with U.S. weather systems.