Otago local authorities and industries need to join forces to lobby for a $3 million weather radar to be installed in the region to give early warnings of thunderstorms and heavy downpours, Otago Regional Council chairman Stephen Cairns says.
Weather radars, normally funded by the Government, were spread around the country, but the nearest to Otago was in Invercargill, which was of limited value here, Mr Cairns said.
Otago was a "black spot", but a radar would inform accurate forecasting to both help civil defence and emergency systems, plus boost economic development.
Government funding seemed unlikely, so regional authorities needed to unite and encourage financial backing from industry that would benefit from getting better weather forecasts.
Council environmental information and science director John Threlfall said storms, particularly on the east coast, could not now be predicted accurately. Radars enabled predicting a storm's extent and severity.
MetService last year said it would look at applying to the Government for approval for and funding of a radar in Otago.
