New weather radar is coming to Saskatchewan. Just this month, a new system was launched at the weather station near Radisson and next summer the weather station at Bethune, north of Buffalo Pound will get some work done.

Terri Lang with Environment Canada explains the work is long overdue. "The new radar is top of the line and it's the newest technology that's coming out... the radar network that's out there is quite outdated"

Bethune has been a problem for Environment Canada and for local forecasters in recent years, often going offline and leaving parts of southern Saskatchewan without service.

The new radar will double the area that can be covered by the weather station and allows for better analysis of the weather systems in the area. It will also allow a better look of what's happening inside the clouds, letting forecasters determine if it's rain or hail and even if clouds are starting to rotate, indicating a tornado is developing.

Unfortunately, the upgrade and installation of new equipment will take several months to complete in the summer of 2019 but Lang says we'll still have coverage from other sites thanks to their upgrades.

"With Radisson being upgraded and right now Foxwarren (Manitoba) is being upgraded and so with those two being done, that will give extra coverage while the new radar is being upgraded so people don't have to be concerned."

The upgrades are part of a multi-million dollar, cross Canada project that will see around 20 radar sites updated.