Better weather radar coverage is essential

By Staff
July 9, 2001
If a $3.1 million federal appropriation will buy better weather radar coverage for east Mississippi, then we're all for it. Under terms of legislation approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, a Doppler weather radar system would be moved from Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi to a new site in Brandon, from where it could better "see" bad weather developing in east Mississippi.
At the current time, east Mississippi is without such coverage and, as a result, major storms can hit without enough advance warning. The Doppler system would be tremendous boost to giving the National Weather Service more information on which to base earlier warnings.
U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering, R-Miss., is to be commended for shepherding this proposal through the House. Hopefully, U.S. Sens. Thad Cochran and Trent Lott will protect this effort as it moves through the Senate so that all of the residents in east Mississippi may enjoy better protection from hazardous weather.