Oregon Public Broadcasting

A catch-all budget bill that President Obama signed this week includes money to build a long-discussed Doppler weather radar on the Washington coast.

The additional radar could result in better weather forecasts and storm warnings for Northwest residents. Tom Banse reports.

Washington State's Congressional delegation slipped $7 million into the must-pass spending measure. When combined with a previous down payment, that's enough to build a powerful new Doppler weather radar.

As for its location, University of Washington meteorologist Cliff Mass calls the Grays Harbor area the “sweet spot.”

Cliff Mass: “It's on the central Washington coast. You can see far out. You can see the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and to the Columbia bar, so that's excellent.”

Mass estimates the coastal radar will allow forecasters to give around six hours more advance warning of incoming trouble.

Currently, the Coast Range and Olympic Mountains block National Weather Service radars from getting a good look offshore.

The westernmost towers are at Camano Island, Washington, Portland, and Medford.

The Weather Service hopes to have the new system installed and operational sometime in 2012.

Online:

Cliff Mass' coastal weather radar page