Rep. Jeff Jackson Introduces Bill to Close Charlotte Weather Radar Gap

Below is a press release from North Carolina Congressman Jeff Jackson.

Congressman Jeff Jackson introduced H.R. 4912 to close the weather radar gap in Charlotte with the successor to the current Next-Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD), which will phase out over the next decade. 

The Charlotte region is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country that isn’t covered by a nearby radar, endangering millions of people.

The closest National Weather Service NEXRAD doppler radar system is in Greer, South Carolina, over 80 miles from Charlotte. The further away these systems are, the less they can detect weather close to the ground, meaning they can miss low-altitude storms and tornadoes.

“Every second matters when warning the public about severe weather. We should equip meteorologists and emergency management departments with accurate and real-time information to keep the public safe,”said Rep. Jeff Jackson. “The people of Charlotte shouldn’t be at risk because of a problem that has such a straightforward solution.”

In March, Congressman Jeff Jackson questioned Dr. Michael Morgan, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on the weather radar gap in the Charlotte region, calling it “a major problem for the three million people who live in the Charlotte region.”  

This gap has long been a problem for meteorologists in the Charlotte region, who get less accurate information to predict and warn of severe weather.

“Since the early 1990s when the Next-generation Radar (NEXRAD) was deployed throughout the country, the Charlotte Metro area has been dangerously underserved,”said WSOC Chief Meteorologist Steve Udelson.  

“I don’t use those words lightly. Meteorologists in Greer, SC whose responsibility it is to protect people from dangerous weather literally cannot see the details necessary to accurately assess what is happening in Charlotte. 

“It is not for lack of knowledge or technology; it goes back to the decision made in the 1980s to not put a NEXRAD within 75 miles of Charlotte.”

Congressman Jackson also introduced a bill to establish the Precipitation Prediction Grand Challenge as a permanent program at NOAA. This program helps predict when, where, and how much precipitation will fall, improving forecasts. 

Current meteorological models are good at predicting temperature but less good at predicting precipitation. The program will generate better predictive models for precipitation and will help reduce impact and damage from extreme weather events.