PAGASA-7 gets mobile radar for better typhoon monitoring

CEBU, Philippines - Mactan Cebu’s Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration can now boost its weather forecasting capabilities after acquiring mobile “storm chaser” equipment.

PAGASA-Mactan chief weather specialist Engineer Oscar Tabada said the equipment installed on Friday can detect the characteristics of a typhoon as far as Luzon.

“Kung dunay bagyo sa northern Luzon, ang Cebu storm chaser ug ang mobile radar maka-pick up na sa location, gikusgon sa hangin, gidaghanun sa uwan, o kung dunay storm surge,” Tabada said.

He said they are yet to test the equipment acquired from the Department of Science and Technology in case of another storm that will enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility.

According to Tabada, PAGASA-Mactan has land radar which can only detect storms that are near Central Visayas and can even hardly detect storm characteristics as far as Iloilo area.

“Ang makuha lang ani ang dapit sa Cebu pero ang problema kay ang iyang capability dili na maabot sa location nga dunay makaali sama sa Iloilo, naa may bukid sa Kanlaon, so ma-blind ang radar kay maalihan man,” he explained.

He added that the Doppler radar in Guiuan, Samar considered as the first line of defense for Southern Luzon and Visayas communities against storms is not yet fixed after the area was devastated by last year’s super typhoon Yolanda.

“Mao nay problema kay wa tay radar ngadto unya January pa masugdan og ayo kay ang mga Hapon man ang mo-sponsor,” he said.

PAGASA, Tabada said, is committed to improving the weather forecasting capability in the country as it also eyes on procuring super computers which will run the weather bureau’s forecasting models.

DOST Secretary Mario Montejo earlier said they would be purchasing mobile “storm chaser” equipment for typhoon-prone areas.

These mobile radars are meant to provide additional monitoring and information about the typhoon while communicating that data to the ground.

He also said the mobile radar could provide back-up monitoring in case facilities such as Doppler radars are damaged during a typhoon.  (FREEMAN)