Patscherkofel radar scans the skies for weather and flight safety

A weather radar on the Patscherkofel mountain south of Innsbruck has been collecting data on wind and weather for 40 years. The Austro Control facility uses an antenna to scan the atmosphere, providing information that supports short-term forecasts and air traffic safety, ORF reports.

The modern digital radar has operated on the mountain since 1986, replacing an earlier analogue system. Its antenna sits beneath a protective dome known as a radome, inside a small building near the western end of the summit, about 2,250 metres above sea level.

The antenna sends out electromagnetic pulses and measures the signals reflected by clouds and precipitation. It can scan a 360-degree area, gather three-dimensional information and survey airspace up to 220 kilometres away within a few minutes. Smaller clouds may not register, while larger air masses and precipitation provide stronger reflections. High mountains can block the radar signal.

From the returned data, meteorologists can estimate the intensity and movement of weather systems, track storm development and identify potential hazards such as hail and downdrafts. The information is also sent by radio link to the tower at Innsbruck Airport, where Austro Control monitors airspace and can coordinate aircraft when needed.

Austria began building radar systems at Vienna Airport in the 1960s, and a device at Graz University of Technology also helped pioneer the technology in the country. The network later expanded across several Austrian states. Archive records of the Patscherkofel radar date back to 1980, when the installation was still analogue.