Weather radar out until mid-November
Bermuda’s weather radar is to remain out of commission well into next month, according to the Bermuda Airport Authority.
Technicians with Leonardo Germany GmbH, the manufacturer of the Bermuda Weather Service’s radar, will reach the island soon to help assess and repair the system.
A spokeswoman for the BAA, which has control of the radar, said that repairs could take several weeks, with the radar left offline.
She added: “While it is not ideal for the weather radar to be offline, the radar is only part of a suite of tools used by the Bermuda Weather Service, who will continue to provide alternative graphics including satellite visuals and a full range of weather products and services, including aviation, public weather and associated watches, warnings and advisories. It is important to note that this outage will not impact aviation safety.”
The radar, which has been out of commission since October 6, is popular during hurricane season, which ends on November 30.
Bermudian technicians have so far found and replaced two faulty parts.
Commissioned in October 2019, the system is about a third of the way through its 15-year life cycle.
The weather radar’s has been operating at 96.7 per cent availability since it came into operation, excluding planned maintenance.