WEATHER ANALYSIS/FORECASTING RESOURCES

This section is promoted to a list of resources that may prove valuable to you when you forecast. This comprehensive list includes websites for climatology and past conditions, current conditions, and prognostics.

I. OVERVIEW a. Climatology http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov The National Climatic Data Center http://climate.usurf.usu.edu/ Utah State Climate Office http://www.cdc.noaa.gov/ NOAA CIRES Climate Diagnostics Center http://www.worldclimate.com/ World Climate http://weather.uwyo.edu/ University of Wyoming Weather b. Current Conditions http://mesowest.utah.edu The University of Utah Mesowest http://www.meteo.psu.edu/̃gadomski/ewall.html Penn State Electronic Map Wall http://www.weather.gov/ http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather/ RAP UCAR Weather http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/html/sfc2.shtml NOAA HPC Surface Analyses http://weather.noaa.gov/fax/nwsfax.html NWS Fax Charts http://weather.uwyo.edu/ University of Wyoming Weather http://weather.unisys.com/surface/ Unisys Weather http://leonardo.met.tamu.edu/weather_interface/ Texas A&M Weather Interface http://www.goes.noaa.gov/ NOAA NESDIS GOES Images http://vortex.plymouth.edu/ Plymouth State University Wx http://aviationweather.gov NWS Aviation Weather Center http://www.airquality.utah.gov Utah Division of Air Quality http://www.spc.noaa.gov NOAA http://www.nohrsc.nws.gov/interactive/html/map.html NOHRSC Snow Data c. Prognostics http://weather.utah.edu Utah Weather Center http://www.meteo.psu.edu/̃gadomski/ewall.html Penn State Map Wall http://www.nco.ncep.noaa.gov/pmb/nwprod/analysis/ NCEP Model Analysis http://www.nws.noaa.gov/mdl/synop/products/bullform.all.htm MOS Guidance http://leonardo.met.tamu.edu/weather_interface/ Texas A&M http://ruc.noaa.gov RUC http://www.spc.noaa.gov Storm Prediction Center d. Other Websites of Interest http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/realtime/2006071/ MODIS http://www.ametsoc.org/ AMS http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/canada_e.html Environment Canada http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk UK Met Office http://www.nhc.noaa.gov National Hurricane Center

II. DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS a. Climatology http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov - The National Climatic Data Center This is the most comprehensive source for climatic data. Past observations and climate data are available for surface based observations, upper-air observations, marine observations, and satellite observations. They also include paleoclimatology as well as event assessments. The site includes data for stations across the United States from time periods as short as hours to as long as thousands of years. This is your one- stop source for any climate data. http://climate.usurf.usu.edu/ - Utah State Climate Office http://www.cdc.noaa.gov/ - NOAA CIRES Climate Diagnostics Center This website includes reanalysis data, climate publications and El Nino/Southern Oscillation observations. http://www.worldclimate.com/ - World Climate World Climate provides climate for global locations. http://weather.uwyo.edu/ - University of Wyoming Weather This website will provide you with an excellent archive of soundings for stations across the United States.

b. Current Conditions http://mesowest.utah.edu - The University of Utah Mesowest A source for current and past surface observations. It allows you to plot standard variables such as temperature, dewpoint, relative humidity and wind speed and direction for a very high density of surface stations across the United States in a Google Earth framework. http://www.meteo.psu.edu/̃gadomski/ewall.html - Penn State’s Electronic Map Wall A source for current observations across the United States, satellite images, and upper air data. http://www.weather.gov/ - National Weather Service This may be the most logical website for current observations, as well as forecasts and past observations. They include links to other government meteorological resources. While this is an outstanding site that will meet your needs, it is encouraged that you become familiar with other websites. http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather/ - RAP UCAR ‒ University Corporation for Atmospheric Research This website includes a comprehensive mapping of current surface conditions all across the United States and locations near the borders in Canada and Mexico. The plotting applet includes a number of features including major roadways, terrain, counties and rivers. They also provide regional satellite images (infrared and visible) as well as radar images for cities all across the United States, while also making recent archives of those available as well. Finally, they have upper air plots as well as sounding for stations across the United States. This is an excellent resource to view current conditions for any location across the United States. http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/html/sfc2.shtml ‒ NOAA Hydrometeorological Center This website has detailed North American Surface Analyses; with options for black and white/color, as well as region. http://weather.noaa.gov/fax/nwsfax.html ‒ NWS Fax Charts This website contains the current fax versions of products offered by NWS; includes Weather Depiction Chart, Radar Summary Chart and Significant Weather Prognostic Charts. http://weather.uwyo.edu/ - University of Wyoming Weather The University of Wyoming will be one of your best resources for upper air and sounding information, and as mentioned before, includes an excellent archive of soundings for all of the upper-air stations across the United States. http://weather.unisys.com/surface/ - Unisys Weather This website includes surface meteograms for select cities across the United States as well as surface analyses of other basic meteorological variables. http://leonardo.met.tamu.edu/weather_interface/ - Texas A&M Weather Interface Raw/decoded METAR, ship and buoy observations, NWS discussions, AIRMETS, SIGMETS, and profiler data. 2-day archives are available. http://www.goes.noaa.gov/ - NOAA NESDIS: GOES Easily accessible satellite images from GOES. http://vortex.plymouth.edu/ - The Plymouth State University This department site is unique from the others in that you can make custom plots of numerous atypical variables. http://aviationweather.gov - NWS Aviation Weather Center Convective SIGMETS, outlooks, watches, PIREPS (turbulence and icing), turbulence and icing SIGMETS, freezing levels, -12, -24, -36, -48 hr prognostic charts, significant weather charts (low ‒ middle - high levels), METAR, radar and satellite products. For a good compilation: ‘…./std_brief/’ http://www.airquality.utah.gov - Utah Division of Air Quality Air quality alerts and forecasts by county. http://www.spc.noaa.gov - NOAA Storm Prediction Center Convective outlooks, mesoscale discussions, watches/warnings, current and archive storm reports (wind, hail, tornados), mesoanalysis regions which offers an outstanding array of surface analyses, analyses of kinematic, thermodynamic and stability parameters which are useful for fire weather, severe weather and winter weather. Forecast tools include soundings, short-range ensemble (SREF) and fire weather composite maps. http://www.nohrsc.nws.gov/interactive/html/map.html - NOHRSC Snow Information A website provided by the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center of comprehensive snowfall information including snow depth, snow-liquid equivalence, snow depth changes, snowfall totals and more.

c. Prognostics http://weather.utah.edu - University of Utah Weather Center GFS, NAM 0000, 0600, 1200, 1800 UTC model runs (with synoptic and convective parameters) for all regions/world with theta (-e) time height cross-sections for locations in the Intermountain West. http://www.meteo.psu.edu/̃gadomski/ewall.html - Penn State’s Electronic Map Wall This website provides an extensive, easy navigation, source for model runs. Models include the NAM, GFS, and WRF. Included on the site are the 0000, 0600, 1200, and 1800 UTC model runs. Tropical forecasts are also available for the tropical East Pacific, West Pacific, Atlantic, Southwest Pacific, and Indian Ocean. Forecasted soundings are also available for select cities in throughout the United States. http://www.nco.ncep.noaa.gov/pmb/nwprod/analysis/ - NCEP Model Analysis The National Centers for Environmental Prediction is the department of NOAA that runs the forecast models. This website will provide you with model output from the NAM, GFS, WRF, RUC, and SREF. This is also a valuable resource for model data. It also includes extensive information on the models themselves. http://www.nws.noaa.gov/mdl/synop/products/bullform.all.htm - MOS Guidance This includes a comprehensive list of Model Output Statistics that include temperature, precipitation, dew point temperature, wind, and cloud forecasts. Stations in every state, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are included. http://leonardo.met.tamu.edu/weather_interface/ - Texas A&M Weather Interface NAM, GFS, RUC, MOS forecasts and grid point interpolations for multiple pressure levels. http://ruc.noaa.gov - RUC ‒ NOAA/ESRL/GSD This website includes extensive information regarding the RUC as well as all of the plots. http://www.spc.noaa.gov - NOAA Storm Prediction Center Convective outlooks, mesoscale discussions, watches/warnings, current and archive storm reports (wind, hail, tornados), mesoanalysis regions which offers an outstanding array of surface analyses, analyses of kinematic, thermodynamic and stability parameters which are useful for fire weather, severe weather and winter weather. Forecast tools include soundings, short-range ensemble (SREF) and fire weather composite maps.

d. Other Websites of Interest http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library%5CrgAdvisoryCircular.ns f/0/A2A0CF844400CCF08625758C005E5D62?OpenDocument The above link is for the current NWS Aviation Weather Advisory Circular. This contains all the information you need to use NWS products. http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/realtime/2006071/ - MODIS Website of the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) satellite images, which are high-resolution satellite products, which include fire and cloud masking. This websites includes real-time posting of images all across the globe. http://www.ametsoc.org/ - American Meteorological Society A useful resource for past and present meteorological journal articles for journals including the Journal of Atmospheric Sciences, Monthly Weather Review, Journal of Applied and Climatology, Journal of Climate, Weather and Forecasting, and Journal of Physical Oceanography. They also contain information on conferences and meetings, have career services, and is a valuable resources for students. http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/canada_e.html - Environment Canada http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk - United Kingdom Meteorological Office http://www.nhc.noaa.gov - National Hurricane Center