Tools For Weather Forecasting

We have seen lots of improvement in our weather predictions from old times till now,
from not even predicting general weather for the day to even accurately predicting
timings of weather change. This change has been due to certain new and updated
technologies that have come up with time. These are-

Doppler Radar:

The doppler weather radar is a type of radar used to locate precipitation, calculate its
motion, and estimate its type (rain, snow, hail etc.). Modern weather radars are
mostly pulse-Doppler radars, capable of detecting the motion of rain droplets in
addition to the intensity of the precipitation. Both types of data can be analysed to
determine the structure of storms and their potential to cause severe weather.

Satellite Data:

Satellite data helps monitor and predict weather and environmental events including
tropical systems, tornadoes, flash floods, dust storms, volcanic eruptions, and forest
fires. Polar-orbiting satellites collect data for weather, climate, and environmental
monitoring applications including precipitation, sea surface temperatures,
atmospheric temperature and humidity, sea ice extent, forest fires, volcanic
eruptions, global vegetation analysis, as well as search and rescue.

​ adiosondes:
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They are atmospheric sensors that provide an accurate, high-resolution description
of the Earth's atmosphere from the ground to 100,000 ft. Radiosondes are carried
into the air by latex weather balloons filled with helium or hydrogen. Radiosondes
measure atmospheric pressure, air temperature, water vapor (humidity) and winds
(speed and direction).

Automated surface observing systems :

ASOS (automated surface observing systems) constantly monitor weather
conditions on the Earth's surface. For eg more than 900 stations across the U.S.
report data about sky conditions, surface visibility, precipitation, temperature and
wind up to 12 times an hour.

Supercomputers:
Supercomputers are almost 6 million times more powerful than your average
desktop computer. Observational data collected by doppler radar, radiosondes,
weather satellites, buoys and other instruments are fed into computerized NWS
numerical forecast models. The models use equations, along with new and past
weather data, to provide forecast guidance to our meteorologists.

AWIPS:
AWIPS is a computer processing system that combines data from all the previous
tools into a graphical interface that our forecasters use to analyze data and prepare
and issue forecasts, watches, warnings. This system uses supercomputers to
process data from doppler radar, radiosondes, weather satellites, ASOS, and other
sources using models and forecast guidance products. After meteorologists prepare
the forecasts, AWIPS generates weather graphics and hazardous weather watches
and warnings. All this helps our meteorologists create more accurate forecasts and
faster than ever before.