From now on promptness and accuracy will be raised considerably for the forecasts of disastrous weathers such as sudden rainstorms in cities, costal typhoons and heavy rainfalls in big rivers and lakes. This is brought about by China's construction of new generation weather radars. Zheng Guoguang, deputy director-general of China Meteorological Administration, disclosed the construction goals of China's new generation weather radars in Beijing on August 6.

Zheng said on the basis of the already-built 64 new generation weather radars China would finish the distributive construction of 158 S-waveband and C-waveband new generation weather radar systems by 2008 and form a monitoring network that would cover the whole country. Meanwhile the construction of a comprehensive business application system and a radar information-sharing platform would be basically completed that would suitable to various needs. Effective monitoring and forecasts of disastrous weathers and important weather systems would be realized.

According to the experience of developed countries, after the new generation weather radars are put to use short-term forecast accuracy of disastrous enhanced convection weathers would be raised by 3 to 5 percent. The time used would be shortened by quarters to several hours. Tens of billions of yuan could be saved each year.

By People's Daily Online