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The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has significantly updated its rain radar on the newly revamped and controversial $96.5 million website. The updates include improved usability features like radar locations, quick links, and clearer rainfall display to address user complaints. Chief executive Stuart Minchin announced that further enhancements are planned for later in the year.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) in Australia recently revamped its rain radar information on its controversial new website, which faced significant criticism since its launch in October 2022 during severe weather conditions. The $96.5 million project aimed at modernizing the BOM's services was met with widespread backlash due to issues with the site’s usability and design, particularly regarding the rain radar tool. In response to community feedback, the BOM made swift changes to improve the color scheme and functionality of the rain radar map, aiming to make it easier for users to find rainfall information quickly. Chief executive Stuart Minchin confirmed that the latest updates address user concerns and enhance accessibility to local weather data. Further improvements to other aspects of the website are scheduled for later this year.
Written for “BOM Rain Radar Upgrade” on 2026-09-18,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 17716 · logged 2026-09-18
In short:
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has made major changes to the rain radar on its new website.
asserted
Bureau → make → website
The $96.5 million dollar revamp of the BOM website sparked a major backlash.
asserted
revamp → spark → backlash
Further updates to weather data are planned for later this year.
Almost a year since the launch of its much-maligned new website, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has made major upgrades to rain radar information.
The BOM faced a torrent of criticism over the new-look site, which was launched in October last year during wild weather.
asserted
which → plan → weather
One of the main criticisms was the look and usability of the new rain radar, which forced the bureau to swiftly change the colour scheme of the tool.
asserted
which → force → tool
The bureau now says it had further improved the weather map to make it easier to find rainfall information.
asserted
it → say → information
Chief executive Stuart Minchin said the latest update addressed community feedback.
"
asserted
update → say → feedback
We know how much value the community places on their local rain radar," he said.
asserted
he → know → radar
"We've listened to feedback and made these updates to help you get to your local radar faster and estimate how far away rain is," Dr Minchin said.
asserted
Minchin → listen → radar
Not only was there a big backlash to the look and usability of the new site, the cost of the revamp was also scrutinised and later revealed to have cost taxpayers $96.5 million.
BOM executives were grilled in federal parliament Senate questioning.
asserted
executives → scrutinise → questioning
In August this year, Dr Minchin announced an independent review.
asserted
Minchin → announce → review
While the new website still looks fairly similar to how it did when it first launched, several updates have been done.
asserted
updates → look → ?
The latest round of changes went live this week, including enhancements to the rain radar and weather map.
asserted
round → go → radar
"This update includes the addition of radar locations, radar quick links [and] changes to how rainfall is displayed," the BOM said in a statement.
asserted
BOM → include → statement
"Radar range rings [also] provide a visual measurement guide to how far rainfall is from familiar landmarks and locations."
A radar locations feature, radar quick links and clickable radar icons have also been added.
asserted
feature → provide → landmarks
"Rain is now better detected and more accurately displayed on the weather map, with higher definition and detail when very light to moderate rainfall is observed and when data from overlapping radars is used," the statement said.
asserted
statement → detect → radars
Dr Minchin said more updates were planned for later this year, including some changes to Australian places with dual names.
asserted
updates → say → names
"We encourage the community to continue to share their website feedback, and we will respond with enhancements and adjustments," he said.
asserted
he → encourage → enhancements
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