In 1988, the NEXRAD Agencies
established the WSR-88D (Weather Surveillance Radar - 1988 Doppler) Radar
Operations Center (ROC) in Norman, Oklahoma. The ROC employees come from the
National Weather Service, Air Force, Navy, FAA, and support contractors. The
ROC provides centralized meteorological, software, maintenance, and engineering
support for all WSR-88D systems. WSR-88D systems will be modified and enhanced
during their operational life to meet changing requirements, technology
advances, and improved understanding of the application of these systems to
real-time weather operations. The ROC also operates WSR-88D test systems for
the development of hardware and software upgrades to enhance maintenance,
operation, and provide new functionality.
NEXRAD is used to warn the people of the United States about dangerous weather
and its location. Meteorologists can now warn the public to take shelter with
more notice than any previous radar. There are 160 operational
NEXRAD radar systems deployed throughout the United States and at selected
overseas locations. The maximum range of the NEXRAD radar is 250 nautical
miles. The NEXRAD network provides significant
improvements in severe weather and flash flood warnings, air traffic safety,
flow control for air traffic, resource protection at military bases, and
management of water, agriculture, forest, and snow removal.