Overview
MesoWest is a cooperative project between researchers at the University of Utah,
forecasters at the Salt Lake City National Weather Service Office, the NWS Western
Region Headquarters, and personnel of participating agencies, universities, and
commercial firms. The goal of this project is to provide access to current weather
observations in the western states. Support for this project is being provided
by the National Weather Service.
MesoWest relies upon weather observing networks that are managed by federal, state,
and local agencies and private firms. Additional stations have been installed
at key locations such as near the Great Salt Lake and at venue sites for the 2002
Olympic Winter Games in the Wasatch Mountains. Weather observations of temperature,
relative humidity, wind speed and direction, precipitation, and other weather
parameters are available at thousands of locations across the United States.
MesoWest is used operationally by the National Weather Service to monitor weather
conditions around the region in order to protect lives and property. MesoWest
is also used extensively by researchers to understand severe weather events such
as winter snow storms and damaging winds. MesoWest is available to the educational
community for use in the classroom. Students in grades K-12 can observe weather
conditions near their school or around the region.
MesoWest surface observations are integrated into high spatial and temporal resolution
analyses over domains of varying size in the Western United States. The University
of Oklahoma Advanced Regional Prediction System Data Analysis System (ADAS) has
been configured to run over regions of complex terrain, including 3-dimensional
and surface-based analyses. The Utah ADAS relies on MesoWest
observations as an important source of local data, modifying an initial background
field provided by NCEP RUC2 analyses.
Contact MesoWest at mesowest@met.utah.edu
| MesoWest Staff |
| John Horel |
MesoWest Administrator |
| Mike Splitt |
ADAS Administrator |
| Judy Pechmann |
Database Administrator |
| Bryan White |
IT Engineer/ System Administrator |
| Brian Olsen |
Webmaster |
MesoWest Quarterly
The MesoWest Quarterly is a newsletter intended to inform MesoWest users of new features and additional data resources. The Quarterly also provides information on scientific activities involving MesoWest data streams and provides a forum for data providers to highlight their networks to data users.
Access to Weather and Climate Information
We've developed several different ways to access weather information in the Intermountain West.
Weather information can be visualized in many different ways and different users have different needs.
Here's a brief overview of the purpose for each of the available delivery methods:
- Public Interface. Designed for quick and flexible access to current weather conditions.
Stations are grouped by counties to direct users to weather information.
Users are able to view weather conditions locally or on a large scale via the Weather Map option.
Note- the Public Interface has received little maintenance in recent months due to other commitments; let us know if you notice problems.
- Research Interface.
Complete access to all of the weather and climate products developed as part of MesoWest, including: graphical overlays of surface temperature and wind on detailed terrain maps; spatial maps of surface temperature, dew point temperature, and sea level pressure; 3-dimensional analyses of the current weather; daily summaries of weather conditions around the region; and access to past weather information.
- National Weather Service (NWS) Interface.
This Interface is maintained by the forecasters at the Salt Lake City National
Weather Service Office.
It is intended to provide fast access to the spatial distribution of weather conditions based on graphical overlays of surface temperature and wind on detailed
terrain maps. In addition, changes in weather conditions are monitored in text format at stations selected by the user.
- Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) Interface.
Developed for local road managers who need to have flexible access to weather and road conditions. It is password protected as a result of limitations on the redistribution of pavement conditions.
- 2002 Olympics Interface.
Developed in cooperation with the Salt Lake City Organizing Committee in order to facilitate weather support for the 2002 Winter Games.
Weather and climate information near venues are accessible.
- LDM Delivery to NWS Offices.
Data from MesoWest are disseminated to Weather Forecast Offices of the National Weather Service via dedicated communication channels for input into AWIPS. Forecasters are able to superimpose mesonet observations on satellite and radar imagery in order to place the surface observations in context with other current weather information.
See the Frequently Asked Questions about MesoWest in AWIPS for further details.
- LDM Delivery to Universities and National Centers.
MesoWest data are also available to Universities and government agencies that rely upon the LDM data distribution system. See the application form below.
- Anonymous FTP access. MesoWest data are available via anonymous ftp to initialize numerical models. Additional details are found below.
Usage Restrictions
Data contained in MesoWest arise from cooperative arrangements with many different educational institutions, public agencies and commercial firms.
The data are intended to be used by personnel in governmental agencies to protect lives and property, by the public for general information, and by individuals at educational institutions for instructional and research purposes.
Any other uses of the data from one or more stations must receive written approval from the agencies that installed the weather sensors.
Contact the NOAA Cooperative Institute for Regional Prediction to receive information on how to obtain written approval.
Due to the nature of data transmission across the Internet and other communication factors, the information found in MesoWest may not always be current.
No warranties are expressed or implied regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information contained in MesoWest.
Data users are cautioned to consider the provisional nature of the data before using it for decision making.
The user assumes the entire risk related to use of MesoWest data.The Cooperative Institute for Regional Prediction, CIRP, provides the data "as is" and in
no event shall the providers be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from lost data or lost profits or revenue, the costs of
recovering such data, the costs of substitute data, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages,
arising out of the use of the data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and the providers disclaim liability of any
kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or
inability to use the data.
It would be very helpful if publications that depend upon substantial use of MesoWest data acknowledge the data providers by including a statement similar
to: This study was made possible in part due to the data made available by the governmental agencies, commercial firms, and educational institutions
participating in MesoWest.
Further Details
Applications
For Commercial Use of MesoWest Data
For LDM Delivery of MesoWest Data
Documentation
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about MesoWest in AWIPS
MesoWest User Guide
Quality Control Information
Information located on ftp site
Information located on ftp site for LDM delivery
Internal
Documentation (UofU only)
Recent Presentations
MesoWest-Mountain
Meteorology Conference. August 2000 PDF file
RWIS-IIPS Conference. January 2001 PDF file
Olympic Forecaster Briefing. February 2001
Example Station Images
Example Images of Stations
Outreach
Lesson plans and other activities have been developed using MesoWest resources. Click
here for further information.
MesoWest Database Information
MesoWest data providers
MesoWest Local and Regional Mesonets
MesoWest Stations by State
MesoWest Stations by Elevation Range
Database variables
Station Listing - Name, Location, Elevation...
DataBase map
Station File Updates
MesoWest Stations- February 2000 (Green triangles are NWS/FAA stations)
MesoWest Impact:
MesoWest - All Stations
vs. MesoWest - NWS/FAA Stations
Network Locations:Graphics showing locations of stations from a particular network.
Station Locations -
Intermountain |
Great Basin |
Northwest Utah |
Montana |
Arizona |
Wasatch Front |
Salt Lake Valley
Utah ADAS Products and Information
General Information
Lazarus et al. (2002): Near-Real Time Applications of a Mesoscale Analysis System to Complex Terrain
Weather and Forecasting. 2002. In press.
ADAS Overview
ADAS FAQ for NWS AWIPS
Data Assimilation and ADAS Documentation (large PDF document)
Extended Abstract: Mesoscale Processes. PDF format
Extended Abstract: Mountain Meteorology. PDF format
Extended Abstract: 2001 Integrated Observing System Extended Abstract. PDF format
Background Information on ADAS and NWP in Complex Terrain. (large PDF document)
Extended Abstract: Fire and Forest Meteorology. PDF format
ADAS Terrain
Western U.S. Domain: 10
km Resolution; 200 x 200 grid
Wasatch Front Domain: 1 km Resolution; 220 x 220 grid :
3-dimensional and surface analyses are run on this domain.
Other Information
Information regarding 4-panel surface weather summaries
The University of Utah operational MM5 Model intialized using ADAS analyses:
ADAS surface analysis is completed on the model's lowest-half sigma level and blended through the lowest three sigma levels with the Eta analysis.
the resulting field is used to initialize 36-hour MM5 simulations on 12 km and 36 km resolution domains, at 0000 UTC and 1200 UTC.
Please send questions, comments or suggestions about the Utah ADAS to John Horel at jhorel@met.utah.edu
Links to Mesonet Data Providers
Copyright © 1996-2003 NOAA Cooperative Institute for
Regional Prediction. All Rights Reserved.
For Questions or Comments about this web page or the MesoWest contact mesowest@met.utah.edu
