The Swedish weather radar production chain

Over the last few years, the way data and products from the Swedish weather radar network (SWERAD) have been generated and mananged has undergone a significant transformation, from distributed to centralized configuration. New systems have been introduced for these purposes, along with a number of quality enhancements. This contribution attempts to summarize these recent developments, and it also indicates future directions. SWERAD is operated jointly between SMHI and the Swedish Armed Forces, with a common management organization. The network consists of 12 Ericsson C-band Doppler weather radars. National radar coverage remains incomplete; a gap in the north-west still requires filling. The radar technology used has not undergone any significant modification since it was developed in the 1980’s, although its Doppler mode is in the process of being extended to the full operational range of 240 km. This paper focusses on how the data is managed and products are generated. SWERAD is centrally located in NORDRAD, so radar products from Norway, Finland, Estonia, and Denmark are indispensible to, and an integral part of, the Swedish production chain.