GAYLORD, MI -- Better technology to keep your family safe. A new radar system is now up and running at the National Weather Service in Gaylord.

The system will give forecasters a unique look inside storms.

"The big thing it allows us to do is take a different perspective of the raindrop or snowflake or hail stone in the cloud," explains Jim Keysor, NWS Meteorologist in Gaylord.

The National Weather Service now has a high-definition look at exactly what's going on in the sky and where.  The technology is called dual-polarization forecasting, a $225,000 upgrade to the radar system

"We’re slicing that raindrop or snowflake or hailstone in two different ways, so it gives us an idea of the exact shape of it," says Keysor.

That’s important because it will give us a better indication of the intensity of a storm and a more accurate estimate of the amount of precipitation that will fall.

This is the first upgrade to the Doppler Radar system since the 1990's.  Gaylord was the first to receive the new technology, and by 2013, all 122 NWS sites will be equipped with dual-polarization technology.

The National Weather Service in Chicago has already been upgraded, and right now, Grand Rapids is going under the transformation.  Why does this matter to you?  Keysor says rather than issuing a large-area warning like they've had to in the past, they'll now have a better indication of areas most likely to be impacted.

“I think it's going to be a great enhancement once we learn more about it, it's a steep learning curve for forecasters as well, but I think it's going to be a great tool that will allow us to be more accurate and provide a better forecast," says Keysor.

Meteorologists believe this will lead to more accurate forecasting across the nation.

To learn more about the National Weather Service in Gaylord, CLICK HERE.