The Boston Area NEXRAD (Next Generation Weather Radar) Demonstration (BAND)

The Boston Area NEXRAD Demonstration (BAND) was formulated to assess the operational utility of Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) algorithms and display products in three seasons of New England weather. BAND was a cooperative effort which utilized the AFGL 10 cm Doppler weather radar and data processing systems and the staff of the NEXRAD Interim Operational Test Facility to remote NEXRAD-like weather radar products to future joint agency users of this data. Operational users of BAND information included both central forecast facilities such as the USAF Global Weather Central at Offut AFB, NE and the National Severe Storm Forecast Center at Kansas City, MO, as well as local forecast facilities including the Base Weather Station at Pease AFB, NH, the National Weather Service Forecast Office at Boston, MA, and the Federal Aviation Administration Air Traffic Control Center at Nashua, NH. The BAND demonstration began on 16 November 1983 and ended on 1 July 1984. During this period more than 450 hours of NEXRAD-like data on all types of New England weather were provided in real-time to the operational users for their evaluation. In this report, the performance of the NEXRAD algorithms in the variety of weather conditions encountered in the demonstration is summarized along with descriptions and evaluations of the NEXRAD-like products disseminated to the operational offices. Original contains color plates: All DTIC and NTIS reproductions will be in black and white.