The 60-year progress of China's modernization of weather radar operation and technical capabilities

Weather radar is one of the most important tools for monitoring and early warning of severe convective activities and typhoons. It is also one of the most effective means for detecting precipitation weather systems and estimating rainfall. Since the No.843-radar was first used for typhoon monitoring in 1964, remarkable progress has been made in China's weather radar technology and operational capabilities. Since the beginning of the new millennium, the operational weather radar system has been significantly improved, radar technical capabilities have been greatly enhanced, and investment in radar technology has continued to grow. The modernization of weather radar technology and public service capabilities has been greatly enhanced. Now China has built the world's largest weather radar network, with 252 S- and C-band radars in the CINRAD network, plus 294 X-band radars for regional observations. The network is based almost entirely on proprietary core technologies, enhancing operational efficiency across all technical areas. In this paper,the history of China's weather radar development over the past six decades has been systematically reviewed, especially the milestones in the evolution of operational and technical systems. The paper also aims to provide historical references for further development of China's weather radar and insights for achieving precise monitoring in the future.