LIST OF WEATHER SITES & COMPUTER MODELS

Written by: Brian Neudorff

Last night on Bob's post we got a comment from Gilbert, he had a very interesting question:

"I love the weather. I enjoy watching storms move in during the summer. And the snow that accumulates by the hour during the winter.

What I would love to know is are there any online weather models that us amatuer meterologists can use. "

There are several sites one can visit. The first site I would recommend is The Weather Prediction, Education site. This is a great place to start for anyone. Doesn't matter your background or experience. I would also look over this site if you want to have a better understanding of computer models and just how weather works and how forecasting is done.

Now that you've looked over that site, maybe read about the models and how they work, here is a list of various sites with access to several computer models.

Here are some of the sites I use:

• Unisys Weather Page: This uses the WXP weather software and is pretty easy to use and find information and graphical model data.
• Plymouth State Weather Center: This is a "Make Your Own" map using various real time and forecasted weather data. This also uses the WXP weather software. Full disclosure, I am very familiar with the WXP weather software which was designed and used by my Alma mater, Purdue University.
• Penn State e-Wall: I am not very familiar with this site but since I plugged my Alma mater I figured I would give Scott's a special shout.
• University of Wisconsin - Madison Computer Model Page: I use their products almost daily.
• College of DuPage Numerical Model Page: I learned about this site when I started here at WROC thanks to Scott.
• Golden Gate Model Ensemble Page: I have to thank meteorologist Bob Metcalfe for this site.

This is definitely a good start. Depending on your current knowledge of weather and meteorology you can find most any computer model you may want. I still recommend that you start with The Weather Prediction, Education site, then go and look over the computer models. Also feel free to join the conversation and if anything here confuses you or you just have a general question this is the place to ask it.