diff --git a/pyart/io/nexrad_level2.py b/pyart/io/nexrad_level2.py
index 29469d6cff..38a3e88530 100644
--- a/pyart/io/nexrad_level2.py
+++ b/pyart/io/nexrad_level2.py
@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ def _decompress_records(file_handler):
     cbuf = file_handler.read()  # read all data from the file
     decompressor = bz2.BZ2Decompressor()
     skip = _structure_size(VOLUME_HEADER) + CONTROL_WORD_SIZE
-    buf = decompressor.decompress(cbuf[skip:])
+    buf = bytearray(decompressor.decompress(cbuf[skip:]))
     while len(decompressor.unused_data):
         cbuf = decompressor.unused_data
         decompressor = bz2.BZ2Decompressor()