Replacement parts for the ageing weather radar system are expected to arrive on the island within the month in the hopes of getting the system back up and running by September, according to the Bermuda Airport Authority.

However, the authority is still considering whether to continue the service, due to concerns about its ongoing reliability.

The authority, which assumed responsibility for the former Department of Airport Operations weather radar system in March 2017, highlighted that the system had been installed in 2004 at Cooper’s Island but was now reaching the end of its useful life.

The system has become increasingly unreliable with more frequent outages and the need for specialised maintenance and replacement parts, some of which have to be manufactured overseas.

The weather radar system was last operational in mid-June 2017. Since then, several efforts have been made to repair it. Earlier this month the German manufacturer sent an engineer to Bermuda to work on the system, but it remains out of service.

The replacement parts are now due to arrive within the month and, pending success of the repairs, the weather radar system could be back in operation by mid-September.

However, in a statement, the authority expressed concerns over “multiple problems with the system”.

“The authority is conducting an analysis of the extent of the problems with the system to determine the cost/benefit, and value of repairs versus replacement.

“The weather radar system is part of a suite of tools used by the Bermuda Weather Service to provide weather services and is popular with the public. However, its outage does not impact aviation safety or public weather forecasting.”