The Presidency used the 2 June 2025 press conference to announce the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season and the preparations the government has advanced, including the operation of the radars in Punta Cana on the East Coast (Punta Cana International Airport) and that in Puerto Plata (Isabel de Torres Mountain) on the North Coast.
President Luis Abinader called for people living in vulnerable areas to leave these in case of a weather threat when these are announced by the more precise weather forecasting that is possible thanks to the radars.
The weather radars installed are of the Doppler C-band that uses C-band frequencies (4-8 GHz) to detect and measure various weather parameters, including precipitation, wind speeds, and the movement of storms. C-band radars are particularly effective at penetrating through moderate atmospheric conditions like rain, making them useful for observing weather systems in detail. They often use dual-polarization technology to improve data quality and provide more accurate weather forecasts.
Gloria Ceballos, the director of the Dominican Weather Institute (Indomet) said the radar information is available for everyone online. The details enable precise weather reports for the national territory. “These radars allow for the detection of intense rainfall, its development, and movement, resulting in more effective alerts to prevent disasters,” Ceballos explained.
Ceballos said that global warming creates a continuous threat for intense weather events and this reinforces the importance of the government investing in the radars to prevent human life losses.
She said that a third radar will be installed this year at the Las Americas International Airport, enabling a triangle with 100% coverage of the country. The Las Americas radar will cover the south through the western coastal areas.
In the past, the DR had to rely on information from the radars in use in Puerto Rico and the United States.
Read more in Spanish:
La Semanal 3 June
Diario Libre
3 June 2025