DAYTON — In Southwest Ohio, in the Dayton region, we know how quickly the weather can change from mild to severe. Every minute counts when it comes to warning you and your family about approaching dangerous weather conditions.
Only WHIO has made the investment to give you that early warning by purchasing it's very own Live Doppler 7 Radar. It's installed in western Montgomery County.
We also use a second radar, the National Weather Service radar, located in Wilmington, Ohio, in Clinton County.
WHY DOES LIVE DOPPLER 7 RADAR GIVE EARLIER WARNING?
Live Doppler 7 Radar allows our meteorologists to show you faster scans of storms because the data and images fom our radar dome go directly to WHIO Stormcenter 7 Meteorologists. There is no "middle man."
The National Weather Service radar that other meteorologists in the area have to rely on, sends scans of storms from the radar dome in Wilmington, to the National Weather Service office in Wilmington, back to the broadcast TV stations in the Dayton area. That adds approximately two minutes of time--time that could make a big difference in your ability to seek safe shelter.
That time difference was apparent during the November 2017 tornado outbreak in Celina, Ohio. WHIO's Live Doppler 7 Radar was able to pick up the tornado activity, while other meteorologists in the region were forced to use radars far away in Wilmington and Indiana, which did not pick up on the rotation until minutes later.
At WHIO, our meteorologists use both radars to bring you the best storm tracking and warning information to give you more time to react to keep you and your property safe.
WHAT IS LIVE DOPPLER 7 RADAR?
This is an extremely important tool that’s unique to WHIO The Baron radar system is always being updated, upgraded and calibrated so that it is working at its best.
It’s quite a powerful tool.
Think about the fact that your microwave oven in your home emits about 1,000 watts of energy. Live Doppler 7 Radar emits 350,000 watts of energy.
Many say it was radar technology that helped save lives during the Xenia tornadoes in 1974.
WHIO is proud to provide the only local radar in the Dayton area to track storms to your street level, and to bring you the earliest warning possible to weather conditions that could impact you and your family.
Access live radar anytime, anywhere with the free WHIO Weather App.
ARE YOU PREPARED FOR SEVERE WEATHER SEASON?
>>Dayton Skywarn: Who are they, and how they protect us
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