Shannon Radar being replaced.

Jpmarn · 20-05-2023 6:40pm #1

According to Met Eireann work has started at Shannon Airport to replace the rainfall radar equipment with a new modern system. I believe this work began yesterday Friday the 19th. They have set up a temporary radar station somewhere in Co. Cork with the location being undisclosed. At least it will give some coverage to the south west coast but not as good as Shannon. I suspect the radar station may be in Moorepark. The work is expected to last 3 months. It will be probably late August or early September when the new radar comes online.

Discodog · 21-05-2023 8:56am

For us, on the West Coast, the temporary radar barely covers the visible horizon. Given the history of Shannon I am not confident of an on time replacement.

squonk · 21-05-2023 9:46am

Yeah what they’ve put in place is quite poor. I wouldn’t mind if it was fog a week or two but lasting the whole summer isn’t great. For the farming community it’s handy to see what’s coming especially if you’re on the coast. I’m sure it would also be useful for holiday makers sbd other professions. Mid winter might have been a better time for this work. At least you’d hope a new installation wouldn’t go down like the current setup does at least once a year.

timmyntc · 21-05-2023 9:50am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120622966#Comment_120622966

Wouldnt winter, having much higher total precip levels be a much worse time to lose precip monitoring ability in West and North-west?

Discodog · 21-05-2023 11:16am

Ideally they would build the other radars, like Valentia, then replace Shannon.

top floor · 21-05-2023 11:44am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120623199#Comment_120623199

IIRC Met Eireann had/has a plan to install a network of maybe 5 or 7 radars to give better coverage over the full country. I might be wrong on the number but definitely adding to just Dublin and Shannon. Is there any news on that?

Chris_5339762 · 21-05-2023 12:38pm

No news, but for a new radar at Shannon they don't need planning permission (not to mention that it is falling apart). For all the other new ones I reckon they would, which will just add to the quagmire that is An Bord Pleanala at the moment.

top floor · 22-05-2023 10:22am

Planning problems might be a little easier if the first new radar stations were located on airport sites like Waterford, Sligo or Donegal and Cork. Those three would spread the range a good bit. Of course adding domewhere near Malin Head and Mizen Head would be even better but would have a longer planning wait.

Discodog · 11-06-2023 9:48am

Whilst the radar is down I am using this site which seems to be good as it combines satellite data with the existing radar.

https://www.weatherandradar.co.uk/weather-map?center=52.92,-10&placemark=53.2724,-9.051&zoom=7.42&layer=wr

They also have a good phone app

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.wetteronline.wetterapp&hl=en-GB

Discodog · 29-06-2023 11:22am

Looks like the temporary radar is down

Comhrá · 30-06-2023 9:16pm

Up running again.

jkforde · 02-07-2023 2:46pm

the temporary radar coverage appears to cover the mid-west but it is not detecting even heavy showers, so maybe the radar power isn't sufficient to return any usable data this far west

Discodog · 02-07-2023 3:39pm

It's useless for Galway, unless the rain is coming from other the West & then I think it's the Dublin radar that shows the rain.

jpgkells · 02-07-2023 4:45pm

Think that site also depending on Shannon radar. They all do. Meteo Group, Windy, MeteoBlue, Netweather UK.

mcburns07 · 11-07-2023 1:52pm

Down again 🙂

ecowise · 31-07-2023 5:20pm

Does anyone know anything about the company chosen for the new radar system?

ecowise · 31-07-2023 5:25pm

I just found the answer to my question on the tenders site:

Name and address of the contractor

Leonardo Germany GmbH

Raiffensenstr. 10

Neuss

41470

DE

jkforde · 01-08-2023 8:31pm

I'm not FB or X (!?!) to see updates on the radar upgrade, anyone have any news on how it's going?, getting tired of not having decent radar coverage in the west

ecowise · 04-08-2023 10:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120927417#Comment_120927417

I'd like to see some news on it also but I've seen nothing on Twitter.

squonk · 09-08-2023 7:33pm

Wasn’t it due to be completed end of summer or early autumn? I have September in my head fur some reason.

ecowise · 09-08-2023 11:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120957730#Comment_120957730

Just this statement about it: "Replacement work is starting in May and is expected to be completed by autumn 2023."

I have not seen an update. It seems a long time to install a new radar system.

Discodog · 10-08-2023 9:08am

Autumn starts on the first of September. I will pleasantly surprised if it's up & running by then. The lack of progress reports is disappointing but not unexpected.

jkforde · 10-08-2023 9:38am

I sent a mail to met.eireann@met.ie asking them to update that upgrade page, I'd be no harm if others lobbed in a couple more emails

Calculator123 · 15-08-2023 9:26am

Very much looking forward to the return of the radar system on this side of the country. In West Clare, and despite steady streams of torrential showers for weeks, almost none show up on the Met.ie radar. The other radar systems just can't reach sufficiently far. Makes planning hour to hour outside activity very difficult.

Staring out at the horizon has been my forecasting method of choice 😄