Somewhere, near Rainbow, the Wimmera is about to get a new real-time weather radar.
The site for the new radar is close to the town, 105km north of Horsham.
It was chosen after an extensive and detailed process to identify a location that would best serve both the Wimmera and the broader Australian weather radar network.
The Bureau of Meteorology's Victorian state manager Dr Andrew Tupper said getting the project to this stage had been the result of great cooperation between the local community and the Victorian government.
"The Australian Government, through the Bureau of Meteorology and the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, have been working closely with the Wimmera Development Association on this important infrastructure project for the region," Dr Tupper said.
"As the radar is such a significant project, it has been vital for all parties to get the details right to ensure that it provides the maximum benefit, particularly for the region's primary producers who depend so much on accurate rainfall forecasts.
"The data available through the radar will help growers to make informed choices about harvesting, tillage and the use of chemicals and fertilisers."
Other benefits of the radar include enhanced short-term rainfall forecasts and the provision of additional information to BoM experts during severe weather events.
Dual polarised Doppler radars provide one of the best tools for observing real-time rainfall, storms and even debris in the atmosphere, across large areas.
Radars use electromagnetic waves similar to wireless computer networks and mobile phones to detect raindrops, hail or snow; Doppler radars can also measure wind by detecting the speed of movement of the water that they encounter.
The state-of-the-art dual polarised Doppler radar is now under construction in Germany and is due to begin operations in mid-2020, if not sooner.
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
