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WRAL-TV Deploys Second Live Doppler Radar
Providing Exceptional Weather Coverage to the Sandhills, Fayetteville & Fort Bragg
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WRAL-TV’s new live Fayetteville Doppler radar represents unprecedented weather coverage for Moore, Lee, Harnett, Hoke, Cumberland, and Robeson counties. The new radar debuted Monday, July 21, 2008 in WRAL’s Morning News.
“Local weather coverage is one of the most important services we provide,” says WRAL News Director Rick Gall. “Our mission is always to be the television station with the best technology to serve our viewers.”
Since 1997, WRAL-TV has served Fayetteville and the Sandhills with a live Doppler radar located just outside of Raleigh.
WRAL Chief Meteorologist Greg Fishel says adding a second, live radar, dedicated to the Fayetteville area, means the station can now provide even better severe weather coverage. “The closer the radar to the storm, the closer to the ground the radar beam travels, which gives a much clearer picture of weather while it’s forming. If you have a storm in Cumberland County, there’s no question the new radar will see that storm in greater detail than any other radar available, simply because it’s closer to the storm.”
WRAL’s live Fayetteville Doppler is strategically located to provide low beam height, increased detail and alternate view angles for weather systems approaching from the south and west.
WRAL Meteorologist Mike Moss, who served as a reserve Staff Weather Officer to United States Army Forces Command, says, “The radar is located in an ideal spot for covering the Fort Bragg/Pope AFB area, including the training ranges and Drop Zones that stretch westward across Hoke County.”
News Director Gall explains, “Given the population of Fayetteville and the Sandhills, as well as the important presence of Fort Bragg, we believe the area deserves exceptional service, and we can better provide that with a dedicated radar.”
WRAL-TV is the only television station in North Carolina with two, live Doppler radars on the air and online.
Special coverage is available on WRAL.com, keyword: Fayetteville Doppler
WRAL.com provides 24/7 access to radar images from the new Fayetteville Doppler. Web users can choose county-specific still and animated views from Cumberland, Sampson, Duplin, Lee, Harnett and Moore counties. Viewers will also find web only video of Greg Fishel explaining the meteorological advantages of the new radar.
Weekday mornings 5:00 – 9:00am, the WRAL HD WeatherCenter provides custom forecasting for Fayetteville and the Sandhills every 15 minutes.
Thanks to WRAL-TV’s Shelly Leslie for this capcom story.
