All About The SkyMax Mobile Weather Lab

New Haven (WTNH) - News Channel 8's SkyMax Mobile Weather Lab is a one of a kind vehicle, specially equipped to allow our Storm Team 8 Meteorologists to track weather conditions on the ground--anywhere across Connecticut.

Built on a Dodge Durango SUV, the SkyMax Mobile Weather Lab is a rolling weather station, able to instantly measure a wide  range of current weather conditions at the exact spot it is located.

That spot is pinpointed by the Mobile Weather Lab's onboard Global Positioning System.  The current conditions can be relayed via wireless data and voice systems back to our SkyMax weather center, where our meteorologists can include the information into their weather forecasts.

But the Mobile Weather Lab carries even more state of the art weather technology, because it also features a real-time mobile version of  our SkyMax Doppler Network.  Delivered by satellite directly to the  Mobile Weather Lab, the SkyMax Doppler Network allows our meteorologists to track severe weather to wherever the vehicle may be located at any given time.

The SkyMax Mobile Weather Lab was inspired by the custom vehicles used by "Storm Chasers" throughout the Southwest region of the country that is frequently visited by severe thunderstorms and tornados in the spring of each year.  But the SkyMax Mobile Weather Lab is capable of tracking all of the severe weather that can strike Southern New England during every season of the year.

All of the latest technology was put into the SkyMax Mobile Weather Lab by the people at Whelen Engineering in Chester, Connecticut, who are the leaders in outfitting emergency vehicles for police and other public service agencies across the country.

And when its not tracking severe weather, you'll see the SkyMax Mobile Weather Lab visiting schools across Connecticut as part of our WeatherBug program that features live neighborhood weather stations at over 200 locations across the state and a special education program that helps introduce students to the basic science concepts  behind our ever-changing weather.

Plus the Mobile Weather Lab will travel across the state to let you know what to expect when you head out to the state's biggest events throughout the year!

From the station that has pioneered television weather coverage since it signed on the air in 1948 and has The SkyMax Mobile Weather Lab, another weather technology first from Connecticut's home for Weather Coverage You Can Count On, News Channel 8.