FARM
Flexible Array of Radars and Mesonets
The Flexible Array of Radars and Mesonets (FARM) consists of the DOW radars, mobile mesonets, mobile upper air sounding systems, disdrometers, and ruggedized deployable instrumentation Pods in service to the scientific community.
BAMS Paper Describing FARM
FARM Updated Capabilities (including fully mobile mini-COW) - 2023 AMS Radar
FARM Future Capabilities (including S-band and Bistatic) - 2022 ERAD
Radar Specs
Instrument Specs
Request FARM Facilities
FARM Data (Citing & Downloading)
The University of Alabama Huntsville (UAH) Flexible Array of Radars and Mesonets (FARM) deployed two DOW mobile radars, a POLENET system, a Mobile Mesonet, and 7 Pods to the eye of Hurricane Helene late on 26 September 2024. DOW radars mapped the horizontal and vertical windfield structure of the eyewall and gusts, while the Pods, POLENET, and Mobile Mesonet measured near-surface winds (1-6 m AGL). Preliminary radar loops are available as we begin analysis of this important dataset.
DOW6 Pre-Eye GURU Movie
DOW6 In-Eye GURU Movie
DOW6 Pre-Eye GIF Loop
DOW6 In-Eye GIF Loop
2021: DOWs reveal that tornado winds average ~40 mph stronger than EF rating winds. EF ratings average 1.2 - 1.5 categories lower than DOW-determined wind speeds.
See PNAS 2021 paper (link)
The FARM Facility deployed DOW6 & DOW7 mobile radars near Greenfield, IA on 21 May 2024 for the NSF BEST project, collecting radar data that estimates peak winds of 300+ mph. These are some of the fastest winds ever observed by radar on Planet Earth! Unfortunately, this tornado heavily damaged the town of Greenfield, IA and was responsible for 4 deaths. Check out the news media about this tornado below. FARM OFFICIAL STATEMENT
The DOW Facility deployed north of Benkelman, NE on 26 May 2021 and collected data on the evolution of multiple tornadoes.
DOWs 7 and 8 recently traveled to the Texas-Louisiana border to deploy on category 4 Hurricane Laura as it made landfall along the Gulf coast. After two long days of driving, followed by a full day of getting wrapped in duct tape, tarps, and ratchet straps the DOWs began their long night of scanning, hoping to capture elusive mesovortices and TSVs (tornado-scale vortices) in the hurricane eye. The mission was recently featured in the Washington Post (linked below). Click here to see a slideshow of our pictures from the deployment.
Washington Post: Photo show, Full page
Link to slideshow: Link
In late 2018, the DOWs played prominantly in project RELAMPAGO, one of the largest projects ever undertaken by NSF. Multiple institutions, universities and research organizations converged on Córdoba, Argentina to observe storm formation and evolution in a region of the world not thoroughly studied. Recently, the project, as well as our contribution, was featured in an article in the New York Times.
From 20 January to 16 February 2020, DOW7 was on hand for the BLOWN-UNDER project at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. The aim of the project was to study the blowing snow and blizzard conditions common to N.D. in the harsh winter months, and to give students hands-on experience with a mobile weather radar. Ironically, the weather was calm and clear until the end of the project, when the team led by UND professor and project lead Aaron Kennedy, got just the winter weather conditions they were waiting for.
Learn more about the project by reading articles from KVRR TV and UND Today.
Over twenty-one years ago on May 3, 1999, an extraordinarilly powerful F5 tornado devasted southern Oklahoma City and surrounding areas. It killed 36 people and caused nearly $1 billion in damages, prompting President Bill Clinton to sign a major disaster declaration for the affected areas. DOW2 and DOW3 were both on hand to observe the event for project ROTATE, with DOW3 recording the highest wind speed ever observed on Earth: 301 (+/- 20) mph at the point when the tornado was at its strongest, before striking Moore.
Reference Publications: Wurman 2002, Lee and Wurman 2005, Wurman et al 2007, Kosiba and Wurman 2013
FARM is engaged in research investigating tornadogenesis and structure as well as hurricane boundary layers and wind damage. The facility has also played a major role in dozens of major NSF research projects including RELAMPAGO, SNOWIE, PECAN, and VORTEX2. Click here for a list of publications in which DOW data have been used.
FARM is committed to community outreach as well as the advancement of radar meteorology education. Click here for a list of the educational projects in which the facility has been involved. Want the DOWs to show up at your school or community event? Click here to make a request.
