The Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) has partnered with Climavision to integrate gap-filling weather radar data into emergency management operations across the state, aiming to improve forecasting. Climavision has operated three radar systems in Alabama since 2021, targeting regions historically considered ‘radar gaps’ – areas where lower atmospheric conditions are not captured by conventional systems. Under the new agreement, this data will now be shared statewide to support operational decision-making, resource allocation and public communication.
The partnership reflects a broader trend toward public-private collaboration to enhance weather monitoring without requiring states to invest in and maintain their own radar infrastructure.
The National Weather Service relies on the NEXRAD network as the backbone of US weather observation, but there are still coverage limitations at lower levels. According to the announcement, around 130 million people in the US live in areas where near-ground weather conditions are not adequately measured.
Jeff Smitherman, director of AEMA, said, “Closing coverage gaps takes partnership across federal, state, county and private-sector teams, and this approach allows us to do that in a way that is both collaborative and fiscally responsible.”
The radar systems address a well-known coverage gap in southwest Alabama, an area vulnerable to severe weather but historically lacking localized radar visibility. Previously, access to this data was limited to counties where the systems were installed.
Climavision operates a service-based model in which it owns and maintains radar infrastructure, integrating data into existing forecasting and emergency management workflows.
Tara Leigh Goode, head of radar operations and strategic partnerships at Climavision, said, “This partnership with AEMA demonstrates how we can all work together to accelerate innovation and solutions in the interest of a safer, more resilient nation.”
Chris Goode, co-founder and CEO of Climavision, added that expanding access to the data statewide represents the next phase of the initiative, showing how states can modernize weather readiness.
Climavision says its radar systems have an operational range of around 60 miles (96km) and offer higher resolution than standard NEXRAD systems. The company currently operates in 13 other US states and plans to expand into Florida later this year.
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