The National Weather Service La Crosse Office's weather radar will be off-line later this month

Beginning Monday, August 17th, the Doppler radar operated by the National Weather Service Office in La Crosse will be down for approximately two weeks for an important upgrade.  The radar cannot be brought back online during any potential severe weather during this time period.

Technicians will refurbish and replace the pedestal, one of the most critical components of the radar, which is necessary for antenna rotation and positioning to capture data in all directions. The components are extremely heavy and will require the radar dome (or radome) to be removed by crane and replaced when the work is completed.

The La Crosse radar site originally went online in 1996 with a designed lifespan of 25 years. This activity is necessary to keep the radar functioning for another 20 years or more.

During the downtime, adjacent radars will be available, including those in Des Moines, Quad Cities, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Duluth and the Twin Cities. For direct access to any of these surrounding radar sites, visit https://radar.weather.gov.