Radar upgrade at Cleveland National Weather Service allows better forecasting

CLEVELAND - Officials say an equipment upgrade at the Cleveland office of the National Weather Service will allow forecasters to get a more accurate look at severe weather threatening the region.

The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reports the upgrade to dual polarization radar will enable forecasters to see what's in clouds in two dimensions rather than one.

That will allow them to accurately tell if a storm is producing heavy rain, hail, sleet, snow or a mixture, and the rate at which it is falling.

The radar is more accurate at predicting rainfall rates, so the weather service will be better able to forecast flooding.

The weather service is spending $50 million to install the new radar at about 160 stations nationwide.