It’s not uncommon for TV stations to slap some graphics on a live van and brand it as some kind of roving, working weather station. In many cases, however, these so-called weather wagons are really more about marketing than meteorology, more gimmick than science, more at home at fairs and parades than in the middle […]
It’s not uncommon for TV stations to slap some graphics on a live van and brand it as some kind of roving, working weather station.
In many cases, however, these so-called weather wagons are really more about marketing than meteorology, more gimmick than science, more at home at fairs and parades than in the middle of tornadoes and blizzards.
But then there’s First Alert 1 from WVIT, the NBC O&O in Hartford, Conn., a muscular 4×4 Jeep, that is truly the first of its kind.
“The real headline,” says Keith Barbaria, WVIT’s technology and engineering director, “is that we mounted a weather radar to the roof of the vehicle — that is a first.”
The mobile radar has the ability to see crystal-clear targets up to 36 miles away and inside storm cells more than 19 miles away.
So this isn’t just an ornament for show and tell.
First Alert 1 is another weather forecasting tool able to be deployed to the right place at the right time to provide clear benefits to viewers.
“What we did that’s unique is built it on a Jeep for the off-road capabilities. If you’re going to deal with blizzards, high winds, ice, you want a rugged vehicle that was meant to deal with those conditions,” Barbaria says.
Building a mobile weather lab outfitted with a radar system on the roof that can go anywhere is one thing. But what happens when bad weather blocks transmissions of pictures and data?
By combining bonded cellular technology with digital satellite transmission, WVIT has ensured that “we’ll be able to get a signal out, no matter where the Jeep is. This Jeep will be able to go live no matter what,” according to Barbaria.
“With the transmission capabilities,” says WVIT meteorologist Ryan Hanrahan, “I can look at weather maps, computer models in the field and not have to be in the studio.”
Transmitting weather data to and fro and then on air isn’t the only advantage this formidable 4-wheeler gives viewers. It can provide viewers a live view of whatever conditions exist outside the Jeep through its four cameras.
“There’s a 360-degree camera mounted to the roof,” Barbaria says. “There’s a dash-mounted camera so you can see straight ahead, and two cameras interior so we can provide live reports in the vehicle while it’s moving.”
“Wherever the storms are expected to go, we can be there to intercept it before it can form,” says Hanrahan.
“Now we can show people how bad conditions are in their neighborhood, and what’s happened following the storm. This will really set us apart from the competition.”
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