Advanced Weather Surveillance Capabilities of the Fully Digital Horus Phased Array Radar

The fully digital Horus polarimetric phased array radar (PAR) represents a transformative leap for weather observation, offering unprecedented flexibility in scanning strategies and enhanced data quality. Developed by members of the Advanced Radar Research Center (ARRC) at the University of Oklahoma, Horus leverages a fully digital S-band architecture to implement advanced scanning, including one- and two-dimensional beam spoiling and simultaneous transmission of multiple beams. These capabilities enable rapid-scan reconfiguration to capture evolving atmospheric conditions, optimizing trade-offs between spatial resolution, temporal resolution, and data quality. Operational since late 2022, Horus has demonstrated high-temporal-resolution observations of severe convective storms and efficient surveillance of stratiform precipitation, providing critical data for a better understanding storm evolution. Its fully digital design supports flexible scanning strategies for high-fidelity measurements of impactful weather. In this article, we present Horus observations with these advanced scanning modes during a severe weather event in Oklahoma in 2024 where multiple tornadoes occurred. These observations showcase Horus’ ability to capture storm evolution with high temporal resolution across diverse beamforming configurations. The ability to seamlessly switch between scanning modes makes Horus well suited for tracking rapidly evolving storm features and studying fine-scale precipitation structures. The scanning techniques demonstrated with Horus highlight the potential of fully digital phased array radar technology to advance weather observations, improve storm monitoring, and enhance warning decision-making in future radar networks.