CHEYENNE, WY — A weather radar that covers much of southeast Wyoming and the Nebraska panhandle will be offline for a week beginning Thursday, Aug. 18. 

The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Cheyenne says their radar is being shut down for approximately seven days for maintenance. During its downtime, officials say the radar's generator, fuel tanks and accompanying components will be replaced. 

The project is part of the NEXRAD Service Life Extension Program, which has the goal of keeping the country's radars viable into the 2030s. 

NWS officials say the upgrades are crucial to ensure the radar can operate during power outages and hazardous weather. 

During the downtime, people can use nearby radars for weather information, including the weather service's North Platte, Denver, Gooldand, KS, Rapid City, SD and Riverton, WY radars.