Dallas

Tracking Storms Through The Finfrock Era

NBC 5 has innovated using weather radar on TV since 1959

Tracking storms on weather radar has come a long way since 1976 when NBC 5 chief meteorologist David Finfrock first came to NBC 5. At that time, the station used a radar installed in October of 1959 by WBAP/KXAS-TV's first chief meteorologist Harold Taft.

"You would look at the displays and it was all black and white of course," said Finfrock. "You would see the sweep going around and as it did, you would get a little blip on the screen when it detected an echo - a storm off in the distance."

In the 1980's, color radars debuted.

In 2003, NBC 5 scored another first in Dallas/Fort Worth when it installed the first million watt, high resolution radar. It gives us a look at severe storms with detail. The images are LIVE, minutes before any other station.

And now the radar is in your hands with the NBCDFW APP.

"Things have changed a lot and the best news is.. we're going to continue to change. It's going to get better," said Finfrock.

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