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Climate Data Catalog This is no farmer's almanac. Don't count on the ache in your knees or the singing of crickets to tell you what the weather is going to be like. Get access to oceanic datasets, surface climatologies, air-sea data, sea surface temperatures, and Navy bathymetry. Web:
Climate Diagnostics Center You're leaning on the fence talking to the neighbor about life and the weather when he says, "In all my born days, I reckon this is the hottest summer I can ever remember." And when you think about it, you suspect he might have a point. Don't let the mystery of his remark keep you up at night. Utilize the Climate Diagnostics Center to see exactly how the weather has been not only for your lifetime, but for the last few centuries. Interesting climatological data is used to track persistent anomalies and to see how this affects short-term weather. Web: Climate Monitoring The Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory (CMDL) is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder, Colorado. The CMDL studies the atmosphere, looking at specific components that can change the Earth's climate. At its Web site, you will find research information in such areas as aerosol gases and the greenhouse effect, and depletion of the global ozone layer. Web: Hurricane Hunters You may find it hard to believe, but there are people who actually fly right into hurricanes. They call themselves Hurricane Hunters, and they belong to the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, part of the U.S. Air Force reserve. The Hurricane Hunters fly in and out of the eye of a hurricane in order to take accurate measurements of the internal pressure, the wind speed and the location of the center. These measurements allow the forecasters to make much more accurate predictions as to the characteristics and path of the storm. I bet you'll really enjoy visiting the Hurricane Hunters' Web site. The pictures and information are fascinating, and you can take a "cyberflight" into the eye of a hurricane. Usually these kinds of things are lame, but not here. Nothing is lame for the hurricane hunters. Web:
Hurricanes and Typhoons Hurricanes and typhoons are powerful tropical storms that originate in the equatorial regions. They bring large amounts of rain and fierce winds and are capable of causing severe damage if they travel inland. When such a storm originates in the Atlantic Ocean or Caribbean Sea, the storm is called a hurricane. If it originates in the Pacific or Indian Ocean, it is called a typhoon. These sites provide information about upcoming tropical storms, as well as technical data about the storms themselves. Web:
Marine Weather Observations When you have been working hard all day and you want to go down to the beach to snorkel, it would be a handy thing to know in advance what the water temperature is like. That way, you will know whether or not to wear your wetsuit. You can find out this information and more from this site. Just click on a coastal region to get information on water temperature, wave height and frequency, and wind conditions. Web:
Meteorology Resources Meteorology is the study of the atmosphere. Broadly speaking, there are two branches of meteorology: atmospheric dynamics and atmospheric physics. Atmospheric dynamics, part of fluid dynamics, deals with macroscopic phenomena on the scale of clouds to the entire planet. For example, this branch of meteorology would deal with thunderstorm complexes. Atmospheric physics studies processes that affect air parcels as they move through the atmosphere, for instance, the characteristics of the ozone layer or the physics of water vapor within clouds. Within these two branches, there are many specialties and sub-specialties such as atmospheric chemistry, cloud physics, meteorological optics, synoptic meteorology (day-to-day weather forecasting) and mesameteorology (short-term weather forecasting). Web:
Meteorology Talk and General Discussion It may be that no one does anything about the weather, but that doesn't stop us from talking about it. Join the discussion on Usenet and talk about the weather and all facets of meteorology. Usenet:
Space Weather It's a total drag when you are leaving Earth's gravitational influence, and you find out the weather in space is really not suitable. Next time, plan ahead. First, learn a bit about conditions in space, especially solar flares. Then check out today's space weather. You can see a current image of the sun, X-ray flux data, and get detailed information on solar flaring and the geomagnetic field. Web: Storm Chasing The diameter of a tornado can vary from a few feet to as wide as a mile. Rotating winds within a funnel can reach a velocity of up to 300 mph (480 km/hour). However, the enormous risk posed by these storms is not enough to scare off certain types of people, called "storm chasers". Storm chasers will travel hundreds of miles, hot on the trail of storm activity. Their goals are to learn more about the storm and experience certain types of storms firsthand. Some storm chasers just want to have something exciting to do in their spare time. These sites offer lots of information about storm chasing, including pictures, anecdotes and late-breaking storm news. Web:
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Weather Images When the weather is so cold that only an inebriated polar bear would go outside, don't even think of leaving the house before checking the latest pictures on the Net. There are a variety of different satellite images and maps to keep you apprised of what is happening on the surface of our planet. If you are a meteorologist, you will also be interested in some of the weather visualization tools. Web:
Weather Radar There is a lot more to the weather than licking your finger to see which way the wind is blowing. Nobody knows this better than professional meteorologists, who use radar maps to study patterns and changes in the Earth's weather systems. If you would like to see what it is like being a professional meteorologist, visit one of these sites and choose a weather map that looks good. Then, making sure your friends are watching, stroke your chin and make some thoughtful remarks. (If you're not sure what to say, I suggest, "I don't like the looks of that low pressure area over the Ozarks.") Web:
Weather Reports: Canada I grew up in Canada and you can believe me when I tell you they have a lot of weather up there. In fact, they have so much, they sometimes send their extra weather down to the United States. (And some people say Free Trade is bad.) If you want the official information about Canadian weather, connect to these Web sites, where you will find the latest weather forecasts, maps, satellite images, surfing forecasts, and so on. Web:
Weather Reports: Europe Once you are on the Net, timely weather reports for Europe are only a few mouse clicks away. If you live in Europe, you'll find all the information you need for your local area. If you are planning a trip, you can check the forecasts. Personally, I like to check the European weather in the winter, when it is warm in California (where I live) and cold and miserable everywhere else. But then, we all have our hobbies. Web:
Weather Reports: International Here are weather reports for just about everywhere in the world. Once you have Net access, no matter where you are or what you are planning, there is no excuse for letting the environment rain on your parade. Web:
Weather Reports: United States The next time you attend a costume party, go as a weather forecaster. Dress up in clothing suitable for a television broadcast, set up your computer and point to one of these Web sites. You'll find weather images and information just like they use on television. Stand in front of the computer and smile and point a lot. Your costume will be so convincing probably nobody will recognize you. (If they do, smile authoritatively and ask if they want your autograph.) Web:
Weather Warnings Many of the most severe weather events are predictable, and these predictions are available on the Net. If you live in an area that is susceptible to hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, thunderstorms or winter storms, it is easy to be forewarned. Even when the weather is fine, I find it interesting to check these sites, because something is always happening somewhere. Web:
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