Topic: Learning to forecast.

[siguiriya]

Late last year a friend gave me a weather station as birthday present, and since then I've been trying to learn about the weather.  To that end  I have been reading a "beginner" book on the weather, checking out the various internet resources, and working through one of the free online courses.

My goal is eventually to be able to do my own amateur short-range forecasts.  Frankly, I don't know if that's even a realistic goal.  Currently I can make observations and understand most of the symbols on weather maps.  But I don't know what it all means.  I can't say "this is why we had rain today," or "this is why it won't be as cold tomorrow."  In order to learn more I recently ordered the Weather Map Handbook by Tim Vasquez, but it hasn't arrived yet.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has some advice on how to learn about forecasting.  I would appreciate any book recommendations, pointers to good web sites that might not be well-known, or any other worthwhile resources.

jim

[SlowModem]

Welcome and enjoy your stay here! 

I use something similar to this for my weather analysis:      

[broadstairs]

It might be worth taking a look at WXSim which forecasts weather for you on your local PC. It is a complicated piece of software but once you have it running you can vary all sorts of variables to do manual forecasts and see how different things affect the outcome. I have used it for a number of years for my location.

Stuart

[wxtech]

Jetstream, http://www.srh.noaa.gov/srh/jetstream/
the National Weather Service Online Weather School
You should also become a CoCoRaHS rain observer.  Get the required rain gauge.  Learn by doing.  CoCoRaHS also has 'webinars', online seminars on various weather topics.  You must register for the webinar.  www.cocorahs.org
To become a weather forecaster, be a weather observer first.

[richard583]

First, .. Don't neglect gravity.

Then, toward the idea of approaching forecasting, even the broader science of weather, from a good strong point of view more academic, I'd check the book "Guide to Earth and Space" by "Isaac Asimov". (Basically, jump-street "Physics", with some basic thoughts elucidated where considering some basic ideas, principals, beginning with Earth, and then extending more outward.)

And with this, more in particularly, his Chapter 6 of this book, "What Makes the Wind Blow. ?"

— If you "google" the book, and check it at one of the main book dealers, you can generally view quite a few of the chapters of this book, online.

[Farmtalk]

Al is definitely right on Jetstream; it's a superb program. I go to college right now, and currently own Tim's book that you mentioned "The Weather Map Handbook" (Green back). It is a GREAT book for examining weather maps and such.

I would also check out Jeff Haby at The Weather Prediction for all the "how's" and "why's" of weather. Just google his name, and the site will be the first result listed 

[chief-david]

This is a class that teachers are allowed to take. I did.  Great info

You can use it too.

During the fall and spring, there are more pieces of info that teachers in the class must do.

[siguiriya]

Thank you all very much for your suggestions on learning about forecasting.  I really appreciate them and will look into all of them.   And yes, I'm also going through the Jetstream materials. 

Best  wishes,

jim

[tedroche]

Jetstream, http://www.srh.noaa.gov/srh/jetstream/
the National Weather Service Online Weather School

Anyone following this (old) thread, Jetstream has moved, as of 2021, to:
https://www.weather.gov/jetstream/lessonplans