LocationAppin Road, Bulli Radar TypeWSR 74 S Band Typical Availability24 hours

The Sydney radar has a very good view in all directions and is the primary weather radar for the Sydney metropolitan area and Wollongong. It should provide useful weather information as far south west as Lake George (Federal Highway between Goulburn and the ACT), south to Bateman's Bay and north to Lake Macquarie. There is a tendency to observe areas of false echoes within approximately 100 kilometres of the radar over the sea. These are normally easy to recognise because they are usually the lowest intensity level and randomly scattered with erratic movement from one radar scan to the next. True rain echoes normally have a consistent direction of movement from one scan to the next. Due to its location, this radar is often unable to detect light showers or drizzle beyond a range of 80 to 100 kilometres. Anyone in Canberra trying to use the radar images should realise that the radar can only detect precipitation quite high in the atmosphere in this region. The radar is, therefore, only of use to identify the tops of mature thunderstorms and areas of moderate or heavy rain, which will appear much lighter on the radar display. There is a small blind spot within a few kilometres of the radar.