- What is the National Weather Service?
- Where is the National Weather Service Located?
- Your Daily Forecast: The NWS Website and App
- A Picture of the Storm: Using the National Weather Service Radar
- Staying Ahead of Danger: Understanding National Weather Service Alerts
- Preparing for the Worst: When a Warning is Issued
- Conclusion
How to Make the Best of the National Weather Service
- What is the National Weather Service?
- Where is the National Weather Service Located?
- Your Daily Forecast: The NWS Website and App
- A Picture of the Storm: Using the National Weather Service Radar
- Staying Ahead of Danger: Understanding National Weather Service Alerts
- Preparing for the Worst: When a Warning is Issued
- Conclusion
In today's world, where numerous weather apps and news reports abound, it is all too easy to overlook the most reliable and trusted source for weather information. This invaluable resource tirelessly strives to ensure public safety by employing the most accurate science available. It is none other than the National Weather Service (NWS). Familiarizing yourself with its exceptional tools can truly transform the way you organize your day and prepare for inclement weather. This guide will illuminate the path to utilizing this remarkable free service.
What is the National Weather Service?
One should also know the responsibility of the National Weather Service. It is not a business. It is a government department. It falls under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It is merely here for the public. It serves weather information in a way to preserve human life and property. It also adds value to the economy of the country.
Each phone app for the weather and the predictions given during the news draws from the NWS. The NWS carefully captures and breaks down this information. In fact, it is the major source for any weather news in the entire nation.
Where is the National Weather Service Located?
One of the NWS's strongest points is the fact that it covers the entire country. The main offices are in Silver Spring, Maryland. But the real work is done in the office locations. So, where does the National Weather Service have a presence? Everywhere in short. The NWS operates 122 Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs) in the United States.
Each regional office is staffed by highly skilled weather professionals who are responsible for the day-to-day weather at the regional level. Your regional weather map is therefore not authored by a far-away computer but by a group of real individuals living in the same general area as you. The same is true for the Boston office of the National Weather Service, monitoring a coastal storm closely. It is the same for the Chicago staff of the National Weather Service, monitoring snowfall in the near-term.
Your Daily Forecast: The NWS Website and App
The best way to get your local forecast is to go right to the NWS. The official website has a lot of information. It has no ads or drama.
Getting Your Local Forecast
Using the website is easy. The main page has a big search box. You can type in your city or zip code. This will take you to the forecast page for your local office. This page gives you a detailed 7-day forecast. It shows temperature, wind, and the chance of rain.
Hourly Weather Graph
If you need more details for planning, you can look for the "Hourly Weather Forecast" graph. This tool shows you the weather for the next 48 hours, hour by hour. It shows changes in temperature, wind, and the chance of rain. It is a very useful tool for planning outdoor activities.
A Picture of the Storm: Using the National Weather Service Radar
One of the NWS's best tools at hand is its network of weather radars. The National Weather Service's own radar shows the locations now of the snow and the rain now. It also helps one track the path down which a storm is moving.
How to Read a Radar Map
The radar map can be located on your local NWS forecast page. It displays rain and snow in an array of colors. Typically, green indicates light rain, while yellow signifies medium rain. Red or purple represents very heavy rain, often accompanied by thunderstorms, hail, or fierce winds. Generally, the map operates as a moving image, illustrating where the storm has been, allowing you to anticipate its arrival.
Advanced Radar Features
If you want to know more, you have several kinds of radar views you can choose. The "Base Reflectivity" provides the default view of the rain and snow. The "Storm Relative Velocity" view shows the flow of winds in a storm. Red colors show winds moving away, and green colors show winds moving toward the radar. When the combination of the red and the green appear in close context, it can indicate a spinning effect which is a very important hint that a tornado can form.
Staying Ahead of Danger: Understanding National Weather Service Alerts
The most important job of the NWS is to give warnings for dangerous weather. These National Weather Service alerts are made to warn you about danger early. This gives you time to get ready. You need to know the difference between the main types of alerts.
Advisory: An Advisory means a weather problem is coming. It will make things difficult, but it is not dangerous if you are careful.
Watch: A Watch means the conditions are right for dangerous weather to happen. It does not mean it is happening right now. A "Tornado Watch" means you should be ready in case a tornado happens.
Warning: A Warning is the most serious alert. It means dangerous weather is about to happen or is already happening. A "Tornado Warning" means a tornado has been seen, and you should find shelter right away.
You can get these alerts in many ways. You can use a special weather radio, watch local news, or get alerts sent right to your phone.
Preparing for the Worst: When a Warning is Issued
If the National Weather Service puts a major warning in place for the area you are in, for example, for a looming hurricane, then you know you need to complete preparations. Major storms often cause longer-than-usual power outages, so you should make a backup source of electricity a prime part of any emergency plan.
Most people imagine a tiny generator just for running a lamp. But in the event of bad weather, a more powerful solution is necessary. You'd like to have a semblance of normalcy and security in the home. A thorough backup power system provides this security, allowing your refrigerator, air or central heating system, and medical equipment to continue running smoothly. Modern systems, like the EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra, even have the capability of running a central air conditioner system and yet run quietly and safely in the home.
Conclusion
The National Weather Service includes much more than just a website; it is a team of scientists dispersed around the country working tirelessly for the public good. By learning about its website, interpreting its radar, and understanding its alerts, you can have access to the best weather information you can get. With this information, you are better prepared and can plan for any kind of weather. To top it off and be overall prepared, the missing part of the equation is an effective home power system, like the EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra.