Weather takes out weather radio service

| 17/10/2017 | 17 Comments

(CNS): Following a lightning strike which happened almost three weeks ago, the National Weather Service revealed today, 17 October, that its public radio programming on channel 107.9 is off air for repairs, which are expected to take at least a month, officials say.  The radio tower was reportedly struck in a lightning strike  on Wednesday, 27 September, and the station has been silence ever since. However, its forecasts are available through all other regular channels, including the NWS websiteFacebook and local media.

“The National Weather Service sincerely apologises to listeners for the inconvenience,” officials said in a release.

The local radar system is also currently out of service, but CNS understands that is unrelated to the loss of the radio service.

The NWS is forecasting that high temperatures will remain at 89-90°F this week, with a 30-40% chance of showers. However, Chief Meteorologist John Tibbetts shared a long-range forecast on his personal Facebook page this weekend warning of a possible cold front heading our way at the end of this month.

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Category: Science & Nature, Weather

Comments (17)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    The jailhouse store might not have been too expensive to replace…but this one sure will be…built by and for, our so-called weather experts!

    Q. Shouldn’t any tall structure in the Cayman Islands, by building code, be outfitted with sensible lightning conductor and grounding precautions of some kind? After all, the USA has been updating NFPA-780, since 1904. Retrofit kits are widely available and cost <$50.

    https://www.planning.ky/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/BuildingControl/GeneralConstruction/Building_Codes_in_use_in_the_Cayman_Islands.pdf

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    • Anonymous says:

      Grounding the second tallest structure on the island in no easy feat. And it most certainty can’t be done for $50 bucks.
      If its done properly, and I will guess it has or this would be a monthly occurrence, it will have several wells with ground rods maybe 20- 40ft deep. Everything exothermically welded and internal halos. Ground straps every so often on the cable and the tower either bonded to the rods or an ufer type system (Google it)
      Entry point grounding and more stuff on phone lines, power panels etc.

      Thousands of dollars my friend and why this may reduce the risk it by no meNs eliminates it.

      Retired broadcast engineer

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  2. Anonymous says:

    civil service at its best again….

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  3. Anonymous says:

    Some models are forecasting a tropical depression/storm formation between here and Central America towards the tail end of next week. With radar down I think they should be focusing a little more on making people aware that this is a possibility (and only that at this stage), but it has reoccurred in the last 3 model runs…forewarned is forearmed even if it doesn’t form, it may make us very wet at least..

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  4. Anonymous says:

    The Kearney Gomez Radar Station not working again… yep, that sounds about right.

    The radar station is purported to service this region of the Caribbean, and provide weather data to multiple countries in the region. But it only works half the time. Was this a waste of money? Why doesnt it have a higher operation record than 47percent? Is there something that Mr. Tibbetts is not telling us? Does the Cayman Govt have to put more money into it for the KGRS to work more often?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Care to share where you pulled this 47% working rate from? I swear people say whatever they need to validate a point. Radar systems have components which require routine maintenance but as armchair expert you would know these things right?

      The cost of the repair is borne by the NWS who have proficient staff to handle the matter. Things break, it get fixed, that’s just how life works. Find something else to complain about

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  5. Veritas says:

    Why did it take 3 weeks to notify the public of this problem – the radar is extremely useful.

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    • Anonymous says:

      please read carefully its the weather radio that has been struck by lightning and has been down for three weeks not the radar. Radar went down on Friday in a completely separate situation.

      Also note that the weather service did not site the weather radio as it is on a Government antenna in Northward.

    • Anonymous says:

      It takes three weeks just for them to figure out what to do.

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  6. Anonymous says:

    Radar never goes out unless there is a need for it. works fine when it is bright and sunny.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    Looks like it also took out the aptly named radar again, never seems to work.

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