Argentina to Deploy Weather Radar Network

"Argentina President Announces Development of a National Weather Radar Network

On June 7, 2011, Argentina President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner signed a bill for the development and implementation of a National Weather Radar Network (SINARAME), which is a strategic tool for the real-time monitoring of weather and severe natural phenomena across the country. With an investment of $52 million, the first phase will implement a prototype weather radar which will lead to the construction of the first Argentine weather radar. Also, during this phase, the government will develop a Radar Operations Center for the National Weather Service to monitor and control existing radars and future ones to be deployed during the second phase of the project.

This new project, developed under a joint strategic policy of the Federal Planning Ministry and the Ministry of Defense will put the country into a position of technological leadership in the region, since all of the radars will be developed, manufactured, and operated by engineers, researchers, and national scientists, using our own technology. These actions are part of state policy conducted by the National Government to promote and invest in science and technology, as evidenced by the creation of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the fivefold increase in the budget for the area, and the repatriation of hundreds of scientists and researchers.

The National Weather Radar Network (SINARAME) is the result of a joint effort by the Department of Water Resources and INVAP, in collaboration with the National Weather Service, the National Water Institute, the National Institute of Agricultural Technology, the Naval Hydrographic Service, and national universities.

With the new, state-of-the-art radars, the National Weather Service will have more accurate tools to provide better and timely warnings, helping to prevent the effects of natural disasters that may affect the population, infrastructure, transport, and commerce. In addition, having a national network of radars for hydrometeorology is essential in a country like Argentina, which has one of the widest varieties of climates in the region.

The project will be executed in two stages. In the first stage, the government will build a weather radar prototype (RMA0) to be used as an engineering model for research and innovation. With the results of this implementation, the first Argentine meteorological radar (RMA1) will be built and put into operation. In addition, the government will build a Radar Operations Center, and staff will be trained to effectively use the latest technology available for weather observations. The second stage will involve the construction and deployment of more than 10 weather radars to be installed in different parts of the country. Through the networking of these 11 new radars, plus the 4 that are currently in operation, a National Weather Radar Network will be established that will provide 100% coverage in urban areas where there are significant weather events."