‘White domes' scan the Central Coast for weather warnings

An offshore storm changes direction or intensifies, endangering the Central Coast.

How do we get the first warning?

Chances are, it may come from a Doppler radar antenna high atop Orcutt Hill.

Commuters have probably seen the facility and not recognized it. The antenna is housed in the curious, large white “golf ball on a tee” visible from Highway 101 south of Santa Maria.

How does it work? Basically, a satellite dish, which revolves 360 degrees, sends out a pulse of energy, explained Mike Wofford, a senior forecaster with the National Weather Service office in Oxnard and a Santa Maria High School graduate.

When the energy hits something in the atmosphere - perhaps rain - some of the energy comes back to the antenna. Based on the amount of energy, forecasters can tell if precipitation will be heavy or light.

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Warnings can then be sent out to the public, if necessary.

Doppler radar was uncannily accurate when Hurricane Katrina bore down on New Orleans in 2005. It provides a life or death snapshot when tornadoes strike the Great Plains, giving people time to take shelter. Locally, where weather is generally more benign, it warns of such things as severe storms and possible flooding.

The radar gets its name from Christian Doppler, a 19th century Austrian scientist.

The 90-foot tower on Orcutt Hill - well positioned for scanning the Central Coast - is actually owned and operated by Vandenberg Air Force Base. Radar data goes to Vandenberg as well as the Weather Service office in Oxnard. Vandenberg maintains the normally unmanned facility.

The facility is one of 155 throughout the United States. Since the radar has a limited scanning range, you may spot other “white domes” near Ojai (covering the Los Angeles area), near Monterey and near Fresno, Wofford said.

Roadside Attractions is a monthly chronicle of sights along the Central Coast's main commuter routes. Sally Cappon can be reached at sjcappon@aol.com.