Narrative:

On arrival; there was a large cell that we needed to deviate around. We deviated to the east then headed back west to join the arrival. North of zzzzz intersection; there was another thunderstorm cell. We told ATC that we would need to deviate and asked if we would turn 15 degrees right (west of arrival). ATC said that he could give us up to 15 degree right. We asked him if it would be better for him if we went left (east) and he said it was good for him for us to go west. As we came abeam the north end of the storm; it was building to the west and we told ATC we would need further right turn. He said that he could give us only 4 mi west of the airway on the arrival; or we could turn east. At that time we were now abeam the WX and that was no longer an option. We told him that we would need more right deviation as the storm was building. He told us again that he could only give 4 mi off of the airway as the area was hot due to military. We told him we were abeam the storm to the east of us and had to turn west. He told us to turn to a 130 degree heading (east into the WX). We told him we were unable the heading as that would put us right in the WX. He told us that if we did not turn to that heading we would have to declare an emergency. So; we declared an emergency and deviated west of the WX. He told us to squawk 7700; and we did. We asked him if it would be better if we continued to the west around the WX or go back to the north and go around to the east of the arrival. He said he could not help us. He stated his radar was out. We turned back to the northeast and asked for higher. He gave us 2000 ft higher and said that would be our final. We then switched controllers. The next controller was very helpful in letting us know where a few jets ahead of us were getting in through a line in the WX on the arrival (they had come from the northeast). We took his advice and got in to ZZZ with minor deviations. As stated; the second controller did a great job; was very helpful and gave us great information to get us through all the WX. Please note: if the first controller had given us any advise or suggested to the east or explained that we could only deviate 15 degrees and no more due to military airspace; we would have gone east; even though a longer deviation; based on that information. By the time it was explained to us; we were left with the only options of going west then back to the northeast or flying through a thunderstorm. It is unfortunate that we had a controller that was not helping in anyway or giving any information as to where other jets were going; how they were getting in on the arrival or where the WX was on the arrival; as we were IMC. Due to the interest of safety we had no choice but to deviate around the severe WX.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW MUST DECLARE AN EMERGENCY TO DEVIATE AROUND WX AND INTO A WARNING AREA. ATC WX RADAR OUTAGE COMPOUNDS PROBLEM.

Narrative: ON ARR; THERE WAS A LARGE CELL THAT WE NEEDED TO DEVIATE AROUND. WE DEVIATED TO THE E THEN HEADED BACK W TO JOIN THE ARR. N OF ZZZZZ INTXN; THERE WAS ANOTHER TSTM CELL. WE TOLD ATC THAT WE WOULD NEED TO DEVIATE AND ASKED IF WE WOULD TURN 15 DEGS R (W OF ARR). ATC SAID THAT HE COULD GIVE US UP TO 15 DEG R. WE ASKED HIM IF IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR HIM IF WE WENT L (E) AND HE SAID IT WAS GOOD FOR HIM FOR US TO GO W. AS WE CAME ABEAM THE N END OF THE STORM; IT WAS BUILDING TO THE W AND WE TOLD ATC WE WOULD NEED FURTHER R TURN. HE SAID THAT HE COULD GIVE US ONLY 4 MI W OF THE AIRWAY ON THE ARR; OR WE COULD TURN E. AT THAT TIME WE WERE NOW ABEAM THE WX AND THAT WAS NO LONGER AN OPTION. WE TOLD HIM THAT WE WOULD NEED MORE R DEV AS THE STORM WAS BUILDING. HE TOLD US AGAIN THAT HE COULD ONLY GIVE 4 MI OFF OF THE AIRWAY AS THE AREA WAS HOT DUE TO MIL. WE TOLD HIM WE WERE ABEAM THE STORM TO THE E OF US AND HAD TO TURN W. HE TOLD US TO TURN TO A 130 DEG HDG (E INTO THE WX). WE TOLD HIM WE WERE UNABLE THE HDG AS THAT WOULD PUT US RIGHT IN THE WX. HE TOLD US THAT IF WE DID NOT TURN TO THAT HDG WE WOULD HAVE TO DECLARE AN EMER. SO; WE DECLARED AN EMER AND DEVIATED W OF THE WX. HE TOLD US TO SQUAWK 7700; AND WE DID. WE ASKED HIM IF IT WOULD BE BETTER IF WE CONTINUED TO THE W AROUND THE WX OR GO BACK TO THE N AND GO AROUND TO THE E OF THE ARR. HE SAID HE COULD NOT HELP US. HE STATED HIS RADAR WAS OUT. WE TURNED BACK TO THE NE AND ASKED FOR HIGHER. HE GAVE US 2000 FT HIGHER AND SAID THAT WOULD BE OUR FINAL. WE THEN SWITCHED CTLRS. THE NEXT CTLR WAS VERY HELPFUL IN LETTING US KNOW WHERE A FEW JETS AHEAD OF US WERE GETTING IN THROUGH A LINE IN THE WX ON THE ARR (THEY HAD COME FROM THE NE). WE TOOK HIS ADVICE AND GOT IN TO ZZZ WITH MINOR DEVS. AS STATED; THE SECOND CTLR DID A GREAT JOB; WAS VERY HELPFUL AND GAVE US GREAT INFO TO GET US THROUGH ALL THE WX. PLEASE NOTE: IF THE FIRST CTLR HAD GIVEN US ANY ADVISE OR SUGGESTED TO THE E OR EXPLAINED THAT WE COULD ONLY DEVIATE 15 DEGS AND NO MORE DUE TO MIL AIRSPACE; WE WOULD HAVE GONE E; EVEN THOUGH A LONGER DEV; BASED ON THAT INFO. BY THE TIME IT WAS EXPLAINED TO US; WE WERE LEFT WITH THE ONLY OPTIONS OF GOING W THEN BACK TO THE NE OR FLYING THROUGH A TSTM. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT WE HAD A CTLR THAT WAS NOT HELPING IN ANYWAY OR GIVING ANY INFO AS TO WHERE OTHER JETS WERE GOING; HOW THEY WERE GETTING IN ON THE ARR OR WHERE THE WX WAS ON THE ARR; AS WE WERE IMC. DUE TO THE INTEREST OF SAFETY WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO DEVIATE AROUND THE SEVERE WX.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.