A mechanical failure on radar equipment used by the National Weather Service will result in repair work that will last until mid-May.
According to a release issued by the National Weather Service in Paducah, the Doppler radar will be down for a little over three weeks for the repair of a major mechanical component. An engineering team from the Radar Operations Center in Norman, Oklahoma, determined that the bull gear, the primary gear for turning the radar antenna, has failed. This repair will require 12,000 to 15,000 pounds of equipment and a six-person team from the ROC to restore the radar. The team anticipates repairs being completed during the next couple of weeks with the radar returning to service by May 11.
During the downtime, adjacent NWS supporting radars include:
Springfield, MO (KSGF)
St. Louis, MO (KLSX)
Lincoln, IL (KILX)
Indianapolis, IN (KIND)
Louisville, KY (KLVX)
Evansville, IN (KVWX)
Fort Campbell, KY (KHPX)
Nashville, TN (KOHX)
Memphis, TN (KNQA)
Little Rock, AR (KLZK).
The Paducah radar is 23 years old and part of a network of 159 operational radars. The radars are supported by three federal agencies: NOAA National Weather Service, United States Air Force, and the Federal Aviation Administration.