Vaisala awarded phase II contract for the National Weather Service Next Generation NOAA Profiler Network

The National Weather Service (NWS) is utilizing a multi-step, multi-year process for the design, development, manufacturing, and installation of high capability upper air wind profiler observation sites for the United States. The current NOAA wind profiler network was first deployed in 1990-1992 and has operated continuously ever since. The NGNPN upgrade will enhance the mission critical data which is distributed in real-time to government and university atmospheric researchers, private meteorologists, the National Centers for Environmental Prediction, the Storm Prediction Center, all NWS Forecast Offices, and foreign agencies responsible for weather prediction. With over 165 installations worldwide, Vaisala is a world leader in remote sensing of the atmosphere. Vaisala's new windprofiler is a Doppler radar which provides vertical profiles of horizontal wind speed and direction, and vertical wind velocity to an altitude of 16 km above ground level. The system will operate unattended and provides continuous, near real-time atmospheric wind and temperature data with excellent spatial resolution. Vaisala was awarded phase one of the upgrade project in March of 2008. The next phase of engineering design effort for the government is scheduled for completion in March 2009.