18/09/2026
Exciting things are happening. All National Weather Service (NWS) Field Offices have access to the data from Wendell and now Brainerd X-band radars!
Did you know? The NWS is the lead agency for ALL weather alerts. In Minnesota, no matter what television station or weather app you rely on – they get their weather information from the same source – the Federal Nexrad radar system.
Why are there gaps? Your physical distance from the closest Nexrad weather radar affects what observations you can see on your app or TV radar. The further away, the higher the radar beams.
By filling the gaps with X-band radars, we are giving the NWS a view of the low-level atmosphere, where most severe weather occurs.
With the current LCCMR grant application being recommended to State Legislature we could secure funding for a 3-year project for data from 5 X-band radars. This is great progress; however, we need a total of 8 X-band radars to help fill remaining gaps. In addition, we want to get the supplemental weather data into the hands of Minnesotans that work hard for public safety, resource preservation/allocation, and all our local industries that rely on weather data to provide services and commodities to our communities.
Grant County continues to work with Clilmavision, providing them valuable feedback to help shape an app for end users.
What can YOU do? Voice your support to elected officials so they will keep this project on ‘their radar’ and help us get the work done.
