The Australian Bureau of Meteorology has begun constructing a weather radar near Toowoomba, in the Darling Downs region of Queensland.
Located near Crows Nest, the new radar will enable more customers to access real-time weather information and increase the bureau’s forecast accuracy.
The new radar is scheduled for completion in mid-2024, subject to any unforeseen delays, will add coverage to current radar gaps to the west and southwest of Toowoomba. This includes the northern parts of the Moonie and Border rivers catchments, the upper Condamine River catchment, and the mining and resources precinct around Chinchilla.
Alongside the Toowoomba radar, the Bureau of Meteorology is also upgrading its Brisbane (Marburg), Cairns and Mackay weather radars – as part of its plan to improve Queensland radar infrastructure.
Peter Stone, the bureau senior responsible officer for Queensland, said, ” Once complete, the Toowoomba region will have access to improved weather information including real-time rainfall and wind conditions across larger areas.
“The community, emergency services and local industry, including agriculture and tourism, will benefit from the installation of the new weather radar as it will help to make more-informed decisions.”