Information from a temporary radar system north of Durango is now available to be viewed by the public.
La Plata County officials released a public link to view the imagery, which can be accessed by visiting www.arrc.ou.edu/px1000.
The system was installed in late-May to help track storms that might cause flooding from the 416 Fire burn scar. The system is the same equipment that was brought in and placed atop Missionary Ridge last year a few months after the fire when floods hit homes around Hermosa.
The Four Corners has long been known as a blind spot when it comes to weather and radar modeling, as major hubs in Albuquerque, Grand Junction and Flagstaff, Arizona, take in data at elevations too high to accurately hone in on areas around Durango.
For years, there has been a desire to bring a radar system to the region. But the need became critical after the 416 Fire last summer created flood danger when storms hit the fire’s burn scar.
Earlier this year, the Colorado Department of Local Affairs awarded $1.7 million in funding for a permanent radar system, though the project’s completion date is unknown.
The temporary station, owned by University of Oklahoma, and made available to La Plata County through a partnership with the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, will be on site through Sept. 30.
Because this is a mobile unit, county officials said the data may be subject to inconsistencies.
For more information, contact Megan Graham at 382-3265.
