New radar installed to help track tornadoes

CHICKASHA, Okla. (AP) -- New radar units are in place in four spots in southwestern Oklahoma to test a new system intended to better track tornadoes.<br/><br/>The units are in Chickasha, Cyril, Rush Springs

Friday, March 10th 2006, 9:29 am

By: News On 6

CHICKASHA, Okla. (AP) -- New radar units are in place in four spots in southwestern Oklahoma to test a new system intended to better track tornadoes.

The units are in Chickasha, Cyril, Rush Springs and Lawton and will search the lower atmosphere for weather activity.

The radar will map storms, winds, rain, temperature and other weather information.

University of Oklahoma regents professor Kelvin Droegemeier says the new radar will help provide faster and more accurate tornado warnings. He says about 75 percent of current tornado warnings are false alarms and the new radar could reduce the error rate to 15-to-20 percent.