This phone app screenshot from a couple of weeks ago shows storm activity on the new La Plata County weather app, but, because of technical limitations, not much going on north of Durango. Perhaps just as importantly, it also shows that Action Line had a weak Wi-Fi signal but a reasonably good battery level. (Action Line)

Dear Action Line: As a North County weather geek, I was very excited for the arrival of the recently installed radar at DRO. Unfortunately, when we have widespread precipitation in the northern reaches of La Plata County, the radar invariably shows the moisture stopping a few miles north of Durango. I’ve checked the radar approximately 10 times when it’s been precipitating near Purgatory, and the footprint of moisture stops just north of Durango. Hopefully, a few adjustments are in order. – A Bit Disappointed But Ever Hopeful

Dear Bit … : That is an awful long and strange name, which makes Action Line suspicious: Is this in reality a fake name being foisted off as an actual name? Has this happened before? Has Action Line been the continual victim of some sort of identity fraud? Would Durango-area people actually do this?

Naaahhhh.

On to the answer. First, a quick bit of background:

After many many years of rumor and innuendo, a weather radar tower and system was finally constructed and installed this year at Durango-La Plata County Airport southeast of Durango. It was made by Baron Weather, and cost about $2.7 million in total, with about $2.2 million of that coming from state government grants.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Oct. 29, but the system had actually gone online in August. A few weeks after the system went online, La Plata County made available to the public an app that shows current weather, forecast, and interactive radar.

For various reasons, this app may not do exactly what the general public wants it to do. To be blunt, that was never the intent. And despite the rumors, it does not see and predict weather only in places where county commissioners happen to be, joked Megan Graham, the county’s strategic management director.

“The primary purpose was to contribute to public safety,” Graham said. “A byproduct is that the general public can see weather better.”

Higher priorities for the radar are, for example, helping county Road and Bridge Department crews prepare for snowstorms by knowing how much and where snow might fall. And for anticipating where flash flooding may occur during rain showers.

And keep in mind that there will always be blind spots, and some of those might be in the North County area. La Plata Canyon is a classic blind spot. The radar waves cannot bend into valleys or go through mountains.

An important point is that what you see on the app is not the full set of data available. The app itself is fairly basic, and does not include all the information gathered by the radar. The county, as well as the National Weather Service and the National Severe Storms Laboratory, with whom it shares the information, get all of the complex data available. Putting all the data on an app might, in Action Line’s understanding, explode your phone. But the hope is that eventually more data can be shared easily with the public.

“We are working with Baron to see if we can put more complex data on the app,” Graham said.

Downloading the app is pretty easy, or at least it was for Action Line, which means anyone should be able to pull it off. In the app store, just search for “La Plata County weather radar.” It should be pretty obvious. The icon is blue and white with some mountains in the foreground. And yes, it’s free.

Email questions and suggestions to actionline@durangoherald.com or mail them to Action Line, The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301. Hmm, what else to say. Um, how about those Broncos … ?

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