Queensland Radar Site Information
Bowen
Location: Abbot Point (lat 19.88 deg S, long 148.08 deg E)
Type: WF100-6C/8 radar, with a 2.4m dish and 1.7° beam width
Availability (Typical): 24 hours per day
Interpretation Notes:
The radar is situated at the top of the hill at the Northern tip of Abbot
Point, approximately 25km North West of the Bowen Township. The radar
has good coverage over the ocean from North West, through the North, East
and South East. Inland, the radar's view is partially obscured by some
hills (approx. 700m high) about 10 to 20 km to the SSE and by an isolated
hill (approx. 250m high) about 6 km to the WSW. These obstructions may
hamper the detection of rainfall in these directions. The radar is well
sited for detecting tropical cyclones out over th e Coral Sea and for
tracking thunderstorms over land. During the winter months when the South
East trades winds are active, the radar will be able to detect developing
showers. However, it can also be affected by sea clutt er during windy
conditions when the rough sea surface reflects the radar signal possibly
masking light inshore showers.
Brisbane (Mt. Stapylton)
Location: lat 27.718 deg S, long 153.240 deg E
Type: Meteor 1500 S-band Doppler
Availability (Typical): 24 hours per day
Geographical Situation
The radar is located on an isolated hill about 150m above mean sea level, just east of Beenleigh. This site provides good low-level coverage, ideal for Doppler observations, of the Greater Brisbane area.
The Great Dividing Range to the west and the Lamington Plateau to the south, reduce the radar's view from the south through to the west, affecting its ability to detect weak rainfall from low clouds beyond these obstructions.
The radar's coverage, based on detecting echoes at an altitude of 3000m, extends to a range of about 200 km in the north to Tin Can Bay, then it follows a smooth arc through the east to the south-south-east, where it rapidly reduces to about 150 km at Evans Head. Inland it extends in a ragged arc from Evans Head, to Casino, Tenterfield, Stanthorpe, Karara, Dalby, Kingaroy and to Tin Can Bay.
Meteorological Aspects
The radar is well sited to detect rainfall from the west through to the north, the east and to the south. Storms that move into, or develop in and around the Brisbane valley may be tracked and monitored effectively.
During summertime, rain depressions and storms approaching from the northwest and the north may be readily detected as can any tropical cyclones over the ocean to the north through to the south east.
In winter time, rain bearing systems approaching from the southwest and south may be partially obscured by the Great Dividing Range and the Lamington Plateau.
Non-meteorological echoes
In most cases, processing of the radar signal removes permanent echoes
caused by hills, buildings and other solid objects, but sometimes a few
slip through. These usually show up as small, stationary patches of rain,
mostly along the higher ground. On cold clear winter nights these echoes
may become stronger or increase in number.
During times of strong winds, sea clutter may be visible off the coast
to the east. Sea clutter may be distinguished from rain echoes because
it does not move with the wind.
Cairns
Location: Saddle Mountain (lat 16.82 deg S, long 145.68 deg E)
Type: WF 100 C Band
Availability (Typical): 24 hours per day
Interpretation Notes:
Cairns radar is situated approximately 9km NNW of Cairns airport at Saddle
Mountain on the Kuranda range at a height of 652m above MSL. The radar
has good visibility in all directions, though does have some limitations
to the SSE looking over Mt Bellenden Ker (1593m) and Mt Bartle Frere (1622m)
at approximately 40 and 60km respectively.
Gladstone
Location: Gladstone (lat 23.86 deg S, long 151.26 deg E)
Type: WSR74 S Band
Availability (Typical): 24 hours per day
Interpretation Notes:
This radar has almost unrestricted views to seawards from the north to
the south-southeast. Elsewhere, the topography restricts the ability of
the radar to detect only major echoes to the northwest, the south-southwest
and the south-southeast. However, strong echoes can be detected as far
west as Moura and Theodore. During episodes of fresh to strong winds (>20kt
or 38km/h) sea clutter can be seen up to 30km from the coast possibly
masking light inshore showers.
Gympie (Mt Kanigan)
Location: Mt Kanighan (lat 25.957 deg South, long 152.577 deg East)
Type: DWSR 8502S 2° S-band
Availability (Typical): 24 hours per day
Interpretation Notes:
Geographical Situation
The radar is located on top of an isolated cluster of hills, approximately 27 km NNW of Gympie, some two kilometres west of the Bruce Highway near Glenwood. The Great Dividing Range is located about 40 km west of the radar and runs from the NNW to the SSE. The radar has a good view of the coastal plains from the Town of 1770 in the NNW to Beenleigh, southeast of Brisbane. The view to the west is only minimally reduced by the Great Dividing Range with good coverage extending inland to Monto, Chinchilla, Dalby and Toowoomba.
Meteorological Aspects
The radar is ideally sited to provide meteorological coverage for the coast between Gladstone and Brisbane, and the adjoining hinterland.
During summer, Tropical Cyclones can be effectively tracked as they approach the coast, or as rain depressions approach from the northern interior. Similarly, thunderstorms that develop over the Great Dividing Range can be monitored and tracked.
Non-meteorological aspects
Processing of the radar signals removes most, but not all, ground clutter reflections from hills, buildings and other stationary solid objects. This usually appears as small patches of sometimes intense reflectivity, mostly close to the radar and near high ground within view of the radar. In the presence of significant temperature inversions these may become more frequent or may be seen at greater distances from the radar. Strong winds may also increase the amount of ground clutter from hills due to tree movement.
Large container ships may also be visible from time.
During strong winds, sea clutter may be noticeable in the waters around the southern part of Fraser Island, both in the open ocean and in the waters between the island and the mainland. Sea Clutter may be distinguished from rain echoes because it does not move with the wind and stops abruptly at the coastline.
Longreach
Location: Longreach Airport (lat 23.43 deg S, long 144.29 deg E)
Type: WF 100 C Band
Availability (Typical): Midnight - 09.15; 10.30 - 15.15; 16.30 - 21.15; 22.30 -midnight
Interpretation Notes:
This radar has good visibility in all directions with light echoes being
detected out to about 100km and stronger echoes out to about 300km. Light
rain from mid-level cloud can be "seen" out to about 250km, however, these
can sometimes be misleading as the radar often detects virga (precipitation
which does not reach the ground).
Mackay
Location: Mt Bassett (42m), Mackay Harbour (lat 21.12 deg S, long 149.22 deg E)
Type: TVDR2500C
Availability (Typical): Midnight - 09.15; 10.30 - 15.15; 16.30 - 21.15; 22.30 -midnight
Interpretation Notes:
Mackay radar has a good view of the surrounding area and is rarely affected
by anomalous propagation. Some permanent echoes occur to the north and
west. Showers in the SE trade wind flow are generally well picked up but
when they are restricted in height the range of detection decreases so
that showers around the Whitsunday Islands and northward can be under-represented.
Generally the radar's range for coastal showers extends from about St
Lawrence to Bowen. Path attenuation also occurs when the radar beam passes
through an intense thunderstorm cell; the returned signal from cells further
along that path will be reduced. Apart from these features, the radar
performs well and gives a reasonably accurate representation of rainfall
intensity. During episodes of fresh to strong winds (>20kt or 38km/h)
sea clutter can be seen up to 30km from the coast possibly masking light
inshore showers.
Marburg
Location: Marburg (lat 27.61 deg S, long 152.54 deg E)
Type: WSR74 S Band
Availability (Typical): 24 hours per day
Interpretation Notes:
Situated at 370m on the Little Liverpool Range between Marburg and Rosewood
and 53 km west of the Brisbane GPO this radar has a good overall view
of precipitation in all sectors. However, there is some restriction on
detection of low level precipitation in a narrow sector to the west southwest
and over the Greater Brisbane Area. It is a fairly sensitive radar and
sometimes detects virga (precipitation that does not reach the ground).
This may give a false impression of rainfall affecting the area it covers.
Mornington Island
Location: Gununa (lat 16.67 deg S, long 139.17 deg E)
Type: WF 100 C Band
Availability (Typical): 24 hours per day
Interpretation Notes:
Mornington Island radar has a good view of the surrounding area - mostly
the Gulf of Carpentaria and low lying coastal areas of the Gulf country.
Sea-breeze convergence lines can return false echoes (anomalous propagation),
as can strong temperature inversions in the lower levels of the atmosphere.
Path attenuation also occurs when the radar beam passes through an intense
thunderstorm cell; the returned signal from cells further along that path
will be reduced. Apart from these features, the radar performs well and
gives a reasonably accurate representation of rainfall intensity.
Go to the Mornington
Island radar
Townsville
Location: Mt Stuart (lat 19.35 deg S, long 146.78 deg E)
Type: WF44 S Band
Availability (Typical): 24 hours per day
Interpretation Notes:
Mt Stuart's elevation (584m) makes it a fairly good site for Townsville's
main weather watch radar. It does however suffer some obstruction to it's
view due to the higher terrain around the region. Mt Elliott (1234m) lies
approximately 20km to the SE and considerably restricts the radar's ability
to see light to moderate precipitation echoes in that direction. Magnetic
Island (507m) 20km to the north has a small effect but generally precipitation
from the north comes from high cloud and the island effect is not noticed.
Ranges to the west can obscure early development of thunderstorms, but
fully developed storms are picked up well. SE trade wind showers are common
along the coast during the dry season and the radar's range for these
extends from about Innisfail to Bowen. Both of these towns have reported
showers that were not picked up on radar. Low level drizzle can also go
undetected due to the radar beam going over the top of the precipitation.
Strong SE trade winds will raise a sea spray that will be picked up by
the radar and appear as echoes, over the ocean only, to a range of about
75 km. Heavy rain over the radar site will cause attenuation of all signals.
Path attenuation also occurs when the radar beam passes through an intense
thunderstorm cell; the returned signal from cells further along that path
will be reduced. Apart from these features, the radar performs well and
gives a reasonably accurate representation of rainfall intensity.
Warrego
Location:About 110 km east of Charleville near the Dulbydilla siding (lat 26.44 deg S, long 147.35 deg E)
Type:TVDR 2500 C-band
Availability (Typical): 24 Hours per day
Geographical Situation
The radar is located on the south side of the Warrego Highway about 110 km east of Charleville. The site is on the Great Dividing Range and is near the highest point on the highway between Roma and Charleville. The radar’s horizon is only slightly affected by the rising ground of the foothills of the Chesteron Rage to the north and west. In all other directions the land is generally undulating plains gradually sloping down towards the south. The radar’s coverage has minor reductions from the west, through north to the north-east due to the foothills of the Chesterton Range. The agricultural land from the west of Charleville to the east of Roma falls within the radar’s coverage, as does the area around Carnarvon Gorge to the north and Bollon to the south.
Meteorological Aspects
The radar is well situated to monitor rain bearing weather systems that may affect the catchments and valleys of the Warrego and the Maranoa River basins. Thunderstorms, rain bearing depressions, troughs and fronts will be able to be tracked and the distribution of rainfall produced by these systems can be monitored to provide valuable information for flood and severe weather warnings.
Non-meteorological aspects
In most cases the processing of the radar signal removes permanent echoes caused by obstructions such as hills, buildings and other solid objects. Occasionally, some permanent echoes will not be completely removed from the display. These echoes usually occur as isolated, stationary patches along the Great Dividing Range and other prominent outcrops. These effects usually become more noticeable on cold, clear, winter nights or early winter mornings when cold air lies near the land’s surface.
Weipa
Location: Weipa Airport (lat 12.67 deg S, long 141.92 deg E)
Type: WF 100 C Band
Availability (Typical): 24 hours per day
Interpretation Notes:
The Weipa Radar is situated at Weipa Airport. Good coverage can be expected
in all directions from Torres Strait in the North to Edward River in the
south. Reflectivity return echoes generally have good representative values
out to 300km with exception of light / moderate rain echoes on the eastern
seaboard of Cape York Peninsular.
Willis Island
Location:Willis Island (lat 16.288 deg S, long 149.965 deg E)
Type: TVDR 2500 (C Band)
Availability (Typical): Radar Availability (Typical): 0000-0315, 0430-0915, 1030-1515, 1630-2115, 2230-2400 (EST)
Geographical Situation
Willis Island is a small island located in the Coral Sea approximately 450 km east of Cairns. The total land area is 7.7 hectares and the island’s highest point is 9 m above sea level. Natural grass covers much of the land together with several coconut and casuarina trees that have been planted near the meteorological office buildings. The Willis Island radar is well located to observe rainfall from tropical cyclones which can approach the coast of Tropical North Queensland between November and April.
Meteorological Aspects
The radar view is unrestricted in all directions and heavy rain due to strong convection and thunderstorms may be detected up to a maximum range of approximately 300 km. However, light showers will only be detected at a reduced range of the order of 200 km. The radar beam may lose power when passing through heavy rain near the radar and this can reduce the effective range of the radar and the intensity of the returned echoes. Willis Island can be affected by tropical depressions and tropical cyclones during the northern wet season and experiences prevailing southeasterly trade winds during the dry. Rain echoes from severe tropical cyclones will rotate about a clear central eye with the heaviest rainfall usually located near the eye.
Non-meteorological aspects
During times of strong winds, false echoes from the sea surface or sea clutter may be visible in any direction. This is most likely to occur during dry season months when surges in the southeasterly trade winds are common. Sea clutter may be distinguished from rain echoes because it does not move with the background winds.