Data Acquisition

• A forecast is basically predicting how the present state of the atmosphere will change with time
• Needs lots of observations

1) Have global observations

• Procedures for collecting, taking the observations is determined by the World Meteorological Organization

2) They are sent to one of three World Meteorological Centers

3) The World Meteorological Centers then forward all the data to NCEP - National Center for Environmental Prediction (Camp Springs, MD)

• it is here that the data is analyzed
• maps, charts prepared
• computers models are run

4) Most all information created at NCEP is sent to the NWS, public and private agencies.