Posted: Sep 07, 2009 5:15 AM
Updated: Sep 08, 2009 12:06 AM
Featured Video Weather Radar, Warnings Impacted by Wind Turbines
Wind turbines can imitate the look of a storm on weather radars because of their turned energy and reflectivity.
An expert at the National Weather Service shows how wind farms look like storms on a radar.
More Links
National Weather Service Report on the Effects of Wind Farms (PDF)
News9.com Radar PageBy Jacqueline Sit, NEWS 9
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Wind energy promises to provide efficient energy for thousands of homes in the future, but it could also pose a problem when it comes to weather warnings.
When severe weather strikes time is ticking, and in a split second weather warnings are sent out to keep you safe. But the prevalence and promise of green energy are causing concern when it comes to severe storms.
At the National Weather Service Center, an expert said the spinning blades of a wind turbine can be confused with dangerous storms, especially during high stress times.
Tanylle Casper with the National Weather Service explained the difference on a radar is that wind turbines don't move, but they produce the same bright colors on a radar screen as severe storms.
High elevated terrain is where weather radar and wind turbines set up shop and that could pose a problem.
"Wind turbines can appear on the radar that look a lot like a thunder storm because the reflectivity and the amount of turned energy that comes back from the blade is very strong," said Tim Crum with the National Weather Service.
Crum said the weather warning all comes down to an educated eye.
"There are some folks that aren't doing weather interpretation everyday that we're going to try to explain to them what these turbine and wind farms looks like so they too can account for that," Crum said.
"There are certain atmospheric conditions where a wind farm can present itself like a storm. But for the most part they're pretty predictable, and when you see those patterns pop up, you can readily identify it on the radar and it all comes down to how aware you are," said NEWS 9 meteorologist Michael Armstrong.
The National Weather Service said they do support renewable energy and they are working with the wind energy industry to prevent potential problems in the future.
The National Weather Service in Norman is working with the University of Oklahoma in advancing technology on radar readings but it's still in its early stages.
Bron:Newson6.com
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