CHATHAM – The National Weather Service is permanently closing the Chatham Upper Air Site at the end of the month.
The site that launches weather balloons has been around for many years, but recently the erosion has become a major safety concern for personnel.
Safety concerns for the building due to erosion around the upper air station were factors in the decision.
Demolition of the building will happen in April, and the National Weather Service will continue to look for a suitable replacement location.
The data collected from the site twice a day has helped meteorologists make their forecasts.
Devices called radiosondes are attached to weather balloons and sent into the stratosphere, tens of thousands of feet in the air so that they can transmit the data back to the site.
After March 31 at 8am, the site will stop collecting data and will become inactive.
Maura MacDonald, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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