Narrative:

I had just taken over sector and was briefed about numerous WX deviations due to thunderstorms. Aircraft X was cleared to deviate around WX by previous controller. At the time; the small thunderstorm was off to the side of aircraft X. My workload was heavy with approximately 15-20 aircraft and the added complexity of adverse WX. Aircraft X called and stated that he was experiencing moderate to severe turbulence. I noticed that the warp WX radar had updated and aircraft X was in the middle of the thunderstorm. The winds were strong and the WX was moving and changing rapidly. The problem we (ATC) have is that warp WX radar only updates every 12 mins. We cannot predict what a thunderstorm is going to do. Hence; the information displayed on the scope can be as much as 12 mins old. So; when the WX is moving/changing quickly; we may be working with incorrect information. This was the case in the abovementioned situation. It would be beneficial if the warp WX display updated more frequently. Safety could be an issue.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZSE CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE LONG UPDATE TIME REQUIRED FOR WARP WX INFO; ALLEGING AN ACFT ENDED UP IN SEVERE WX BECAUSE OF THE UPDATE PERIOD.

Narrative: I HAD JUST TAKEN OVER SECTOR AND WAS BRIEFED ABOUT NUMEROUS WX DEVS DUE TO TSTMS. ACFT X WAS CLRED TO DEVIATE AROUND WX BY PREVIOUS CTLR. AT THE TIME; THE SMALL TSTM WAS OFF TO THE SIDE OF ACFT X. MY WORKLOAD WAS HVY WITH APPROX 15-20 ACFT AND THE ADDED COMPLEXITY OF ADVERSE WX. ACFT X CALLED AND STATED THAT HE WAS EXPERIENCING MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB. I NOTICED THAT THE WARP WX RADAR HAD UPDATED AND ACFT X WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TSTM. THE WINDS WERE STRONG AND THE WX WAS MOVING AND CHANGING RAPIDLY. THE PROB WE (ATC) HAVE IS THAT WARP WX RADAR ONLY UPDATES EVERY 12 MINS. WE CANNOT PREDICT WHAT A TSTM IS GOING TO DO. HENCE; THE INFO DISPLAYED ON THE SCOPE CAN BE AS MUCH AS 12 MINS OLD. SO; WHEN THE WX IS MOVING/CHANGING QUICKLY; WE MAY BE WORKING WITH INCORRECT INFO. THIS WAS THE CASE IN THE ABOVEMENTIONED SITUATION. IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL IF THE WARP WX DISPLAY UPDATED MORE FREQUENTLY. SAFETY COULD BE AN ISSUE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.