Cebu's Doppler radar to be operational next month

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s (Pagasa) Doppler radar in Mactan Cebu International Airport will be operational next month, officials said yesterday.

Pagasa supervising undersecretary Graciano Yumul said the Doppler radar, which has a range of 400 kilometer, can help improve disaster preparedness and mitigation programs in typhoon-prone Visayas.

“We placed it in Cebu to cover central Philippines with our radar in Guiuan, Samar and the one we will install in Iloilo,” Yumul said in a text message to The STAR.

Yumul said two more Doppler radars will be put up by the first quarter of next year. Doppler radars are capable of generating short-term but highly accurate weather forecasts.