The Future of Weather Prediction. By: Kristen Morrow May 13, 2008
Weather can be dangerous&powerful force! But new technology will help prevent disasters.
New Technology To Predict Flash Floods: Scientists are testing new advanced weather technology in a pilot program from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration's National Severe Storms Laboratory, the National Sea Grant College Program and North Carolina and South Carolina Sea Grant programs.
The new software uses something known as Doppler radar data along with satellite imagery that can monitor rainfall in watershed basins that are as small as one square kilometer. The National Weather Service forecasters can then use this date to predict floods more accurately and therefore will be able to make better flood and flash flood warnings. Emergency management officials, utility companies, and the government in general will be able to use this information to prepare people for floods before they happen. Hopefully, this new technology will be able to save lives..
There are two phases to the project: 1) collecting regional radar data in "real-time" at a single location at Wilmington, N.C. and 2) creating Web- based flash flood guidance software using real-time radar data. “By December, the second phase of the project will be nearly complete. Data will be available on the World Wide Web to a variety of users, including weather forecasters, emergency management officials, mariners, scientists and commercial users in the power and agricultural sectors. The data will include information on the amount of rainfall that has fallen in each river basin and an indication of the likelihood that flooding will occur.”
There are absolutely no cons to the project, except that the technology has not been available to people sooner. There are no problems or ethical issues surrounding the issue either. Both government and citizens agree that being able to predict floods more accurately before they happen is a very positive step in new technology.
New Technology Used to Predict Extreme Springtime Weather: NASA has come up with new technology and satellite data to help weather forecasters create the best predictions of springtime weather that is severe and harmful people and their homes. The new data they have compiled is from satellites, lightning ground-tracking networks, and unmanned vehicles that fly into storms. These tools are very useful and help to issue weather forecasts. This new and improved data will help make the severe weather season safer for all.
It is very important to issue watches and warnings for tornadoes, flash floods, high wind warnings, severe thunderstorms, and flooding, as well as daily weather forecasts. These memos reach the public mainly through NOAA weather radio and the internet. NASA uses data from its Earth-observing satellites and models to characterize and understand the way atmosphere, oceans and land interact NASA satellite data that enhances NOAA's weather model forecasts include surface wind data from QuikScat and rainfall data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite. Launching in June, NASA's Aura satellite will provide temperature and moisture information. That data will provide a clearer atmospheric picture, and it will improve forecast model prediction capabilities.
A better understanding of jet steam locations, temperature, humidity fields and other atmospheric states are critical in assessing the potential for severe weather. Balloon observations taken twice daily at approximately 180 locations in the United States are the main source of this type of information. New NASA satellite observations can fill in the missing data spaces around the United States and surrounding oceans. The NASA-NOAA Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation was formed in 2002 to accelerate the use of satellite data within global- scale weather forecast models operated by NOAA. NASA's Earth Science Enterprise is dedicated to understanding the Earth as an integrated system and applying Earth System Science to improve prediction of climate, weather, and natural hazards using the unique vantage point of space.
Computed Related Weather Technology: Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System The National Weather Service declared the last of its new interactive computer and communications system units fully operational with the commissioning of the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System at the Alaska River Forecast Center in Anchorage. This was the last of 139 units commissioned nationally since January. Forecasters use this technology to convert huge amounts of data into useful forecasts and warnings and rapidly communicate accurate, up-to- date weather information to the public.
"This milestone signals the official beginning of a new era in modern forecast operations for the National Weather Service," said retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Jack Kelly, director of the NWS. "Americans today have the best weather services and the most advanced weather technology of any nation.“ The modernization of the National Weather Service is a major accomplishment that represents government at its best," said Kelly. "We are now providing faster, more accurate warnings for severe weather than we were in We have doubled our 1993 average advance warning for tornadoes to 12 lifesaving minutes. We have nearly doubled our advance warning for flash floods to 40 minutes. Not only have we doubled the lead times, but we've also improved our accuracy." Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System Continued
The AWIPS communications network is a prime contributor to NWS successes in speeding warnings to the public. The network is composed of a high-speed, dedicated Intranet that interconnects all AWIPS sites; a satellite broadcast network that provides each site high resolution weather satellite data and computer-generated forecasts from NOAA's super computers; and a network control facility to control the communications network and monitor all site equipment. AWIPS also benefits the Weather Service's many customers who enjoy access to more forecast information, data and graphical products through a larger, faster data pipeline. Users of NWS forecasts, warnings and data include the general public, business interests, TV weathercasters and private forecasting companies, private research organizations, universities, and government agencies. The AWIPS satellite broadcast network, known as NOAAPORT, makes NOAA satellite imagery, model guidance, forecasts and warnings available to anyone having the correct satellite receiving equipment. Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System Continued
Websites exist today for the average person to check the status of the current weather anytime, anywhere. Weather.com is a advanced weather website that is able to predict and determine the hourly weather in your area. They also provide their readers with special storm watches and warnings that appear flashing on the top of the screen. These warnings help to keep people aware of things such as high winds, high pollen, and of course severe storms.
continued The unique website also includes an interactive map and national forecast They also have high tech videos of news stories that relate to weather that they have available to their readers Although this is not the only website related to weather prediction, weather.com is the most in depth and majority of the time, they are correct in their weather predictions.
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