CWKR
Encyclopedia
The King City weather radar station (ICAO site identifier CWKR) is a weather radar
located in King City
, Ontario
, Canada
. It is operated by Environment Canada
and is part of the Canadian weather radar network
.
The site is listed at an elevation of 360 m, and the tower is 27 m tall.
Mounted on the tower is a 5 cm weather radar, and a C-band
dual-polarization radar system was installed at the site in 2004.
The station serves a number of research roles, and collects data to fulfill those observational needs.
In 1985, the Research Directorate of the Atmospheric Environment Service established the first Canadian weather radar
with Doppler capability in King City. In 2004, a Dual-Polarization Radar was installed for further research. These systems are used for predictive purposes, and the data collected is used for weather forecasts for the Greater Toronto Area
and the Golden Horseshoe.
Further, under the auspices of the Cloud Physics and Severe Weather Research Section of Environment Canada, the King Doppler Weather Radar Research Facility collects data for research.
The C-band radar can be useful for observing bird migration
patterns, especially when data is taken in aggregate with that of other radar stations. Current active research in dual-polarization radar includes winter precipitation, quantitative precipitation estimates and particle type identification.
43°57′50"N 79°34′25"W
Weather radar
Weather radar, also called weather surveillance radar and Doppler weather radar, is a type of radar used to locate precipitation, calculate its motion, estimate its type . Modern weather radars are mostly pulse-Doppler radars, capable of detecting the motion of rain droplets in addition to the...
located in King City
King City, Ontario
King City is an affluent, unincorporated village in King Township, Ontario, Canada, located just north of Toronto. It is the largest community in King Township, with 1,629 dwellings and a population of 4,902.-History:...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is operated by Environment Canada
Environment Canada
Environment Canada , legally incorporated as the Department of the Environment under the Department of the Environment Act Environment Canada (EC) (French: Environnement Canada), legally incorporated as the Department of the Environment under the Department of the Environment Act Environment...
and is part of the Canadian weather radar network
Canadian weather radar network
The Canadian weather radar network consists of 31 weather radars spanning Canada's most populated regions. Their primary purpose is the early detection of precipitation, its motion and the threat it poses to life and property...
.
The site is listed at an elevation of 360 m, and the tower is 27 m tall.
Mounted on the tower is a 5 cm weather radar, and a C-band
C band
The C band is a name given to certain portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, including wavelengths of microwaves that are used for long-distance radio telecommunications. The IEEE C-band - and its slight variations - contains frequency ranges that are used for many satellite communications...
dual-polarization radar system was installed at the site in 2004.
Research
In 1985, the Research Directorate of the Atmospheric Environment Service established the first Canadian weather radar
Weather radar
Weather radar, also called weather surveillance radar and Doppler weather radar, is a type of radar used to locate precipitation, calculate its motion, estimate its type . Modern weather radars are mostly pulse-Doppler radars, capable of detecting the motion of rain droplets in addition to the...
with Doppler capability in King City. In 2004, a Dual-Polarization Radar was installed for further research. These systems are used for predictive purposes, and the data collected is used for weather forecasts for the Greater Toronto Area
Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
and the Golden Horseshoe.
Further, under the auspices of the Cloud Physics and Severe Weather Research Section of Environment Canada, the King Doppler Weather Radar Research Facility collects data for research.
The C-band radar can be useful for observing bird migration
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
patterns, especially when data is taken in aggregate with that of other radar stations. Current active research in dual-polarization radar includes winter precipitation, quantitative precipitation estimates and particle type identification.
External links
- Real time CWKR data from Environment Canada
43°57′50"N 79°34′25"W