National Severe Storms Laboratory
The National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather research laboratory under the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. It is one of seven NOAA Research Laboratories (RLs).
NSSL's first Doppler weather radar, the NSSL Doppler, located in Norman, Oklahoma. 1970s research using this radar led to NWS NEXRAD WSR-88D radar network.
The first tornado captured on May 24, 1973, by the NSSL Doppler weather radar and NSSL chase personnel. The tornado is here in its early stage of formation near Union City, Oklahoma
NEXRAD or Nexrad is a network of 159 high-resolution S-band Doppler weather radars operated by the National Weather Service (NWS), an agency of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) within the United States Department of Commerce, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) within the Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Air Force within the Department of Defense. Its technical name is WSR-88D.
NEXRAD Radar near La Crosse, Wisconsin
Testbed of the WSR-88D on display at the National Severe Storms Laboratory.
NEXRAD sites in Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. territories, and military bases.
NEXRAD coverage below 10,000 feet
