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Congress·In Committee·25 days ago

Senate Committee Reviews Plan to Modernize U.S. Weather Radar Network, Fill Storm Detection Gaps

Also known as: Radar Next Program Act of 2026

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
Senate
House
President

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Key Points

  • This bill creates a new program to replace the country's aging weather radar system with modern technology. The goal is to provide more accurate and faster information about rain, snow, and severe storms across the United States and its territories.
  • The plan focuses on fixing "blind spots" in the current network. It specifically targets areas that are more than 75 miles away from current radar stations or where mountains block the signal, ensuring people in rural or rugged areas get better weather warnings.
  • The government will test new types of technology, like phased array radar and smaller "gap-filling" radars. These tools can track storms more precisely than the older systems used today, which could lead to earlier warnings for tornadoes and floods.
  • The bill allows the National Weather Service to partner with private companies to buy weather data. This "Radar-As-A-Service" model helps the government get the information it needs without always having to build and own every single radar tower.
  • The project has a long-term timeline, with a goal to have the new system fully up and running by September 30, 2040. Officials will work with meteorologists, emergency managers, and local leaders to decide where the new radars should go first.
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Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 5, 2026Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Feb 5, 2026

Introduced in Senate

Related News

1 article
The Chronicle·21 days ago

Cantwell introduces bill to deploy nation's next-generation weather radar

U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) introduced the Radar Next Program Act to replace the nation's aging Doppler radar network. The bill aims to close 'radar gaps' in rural and mountainous areas and implement faster phased array technology by 2040.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Radar Next Program Act of 2026

Bill NumberS 3795
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)
R: 1

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.