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How New 4Live Radar Tracks Storms Faster

Chief Meteorologist Ben Bailey explains how it can help save lives

4Live Radar, Ben Bailey

Q: What is 4Live Radar and how does it work?

  • When we first debuted 4Live Radar, it was just a radar. It allowed us to show you where the rain and storms were located in near real time. Sounds quaint now, but it was leading technology in its day. Over the years, we’ve continued to upgrade and invest in 4Live Radar, which advanced into a tool that could display data from multiple radars across the globe. Then we added storm analysis and tracking technology, giving us even greater confidence in severe weather prediction. All that is leading up to our newest investment that is taking that even further.

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Q: Why is Local 4′s new technology better than before?

  • Now Local 4 has leveraged the research of the world’s leading radar engineers to bring the latest storm science to southeast Michigan. We call it Critical Weather Intelligence. This allows 4Live Radar to process data faster and with greater precision than ever before.

Q: How can it help keep us safe during storms?

  • When storms threaten our area, you want to know exactly where the most dangerous part of the storm is and where it’s headed. 4Live Radar can now interrogate a broad area of weather, and pinpoint the greatest threats , even the spots that look innocuous on radar, but are poised to explode. Couple that with an investment in greater computing power; we can produce this analysis faster and with greater precision than ever before. In some cases, 4Live Radar can recalculate and analyze the threats every minute.

Q: Do other stations have this new technology?

  • We’re the only broadcast station in southeast Michigan with this technology and we think the difference will be evident as storm season peaks. Getting the forecast right is only part of our mission. Getting it to you fast and crystal clear is vital when severe weather strikes.

Q: Do you and the Local 4Casters have other tools that help keep us safe?

  • The changes to 4Live Radar are just part of a larger investment in our weather operation. We’re putting in stronger graphic capabilities and richer data sources to help you understand the weather story every single day, not just during severe storms.

About the Authors
Ben Bailey headshot

Ben loves his job at Local 4 because broadcast meteorology challenges him to crack Mother Nature’s code, then find new and creative ways to tell that story to people.

Donna Harper headshot

Donna is a Creative Services producer.

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