Which weather Forcast is more reliable to monitor? (Afton: live, zip code)

[ScottStielow]

I usually monitor weather forecast on the internet. Is there a more reliable source for NE and NW Wyoming, on line. I go into Tcw, Accu weather or Weather underground at different times, at different locations. Or is their other weather sources not mentioned. I always monitor 511-Wyoroad for more information on road conditions.
Thank you for your replies.
Scott

[sunsprit]

I use WUnderground and NWS as the primary sources for a forecast, but also use the CoCoRah reports (we're a reporting station) to see the actual conditions for more localized pinpoint reports.

IMO, it's best to look not only at their weather forecasts, but the raw data that they report ... radar & satellite depictions, along with their "weather story" narrative as to the expected weather pattern ... to draw your own conclusions about trends and liklihood of weather events. Additional insight can be gained from looking at the aviation weather reports, which give you specific winds aloft/temps and moisture forecasts/reports.

[branDcalf]

I get along pretty well with the NOAA forecast.weather dot gov site.

I do even better if I talk about the weather that happened yesterday.

[ElkHunter]

Think of it this way, NOAA owns all of the weather radars and they collect data. They sell weather data channels to all the other organizations, such as WUnderground, News teams, etc. When a news team says that they just got a Doppler Radar, they didn't get a radar, it was always there, but they just bought another channel from NOAA that they could use. Kind of like Cable TV channels.

NOAA works in conjunction with National Weather Service and in most cases, it's the same office with NOAA guys on one side of the room and NWS guys on the other side. In a few cases, it's the same guys running back and forth.

Like Sunsprit said, getting the raw data is the best, I too am a CoCoRaHS reporter along with being a Weather Spotter, so I have those two websites to look at current reports. I find that the most up to date, and most accurate is the data straight from the National Weather Service. Like I said, if they have doubts about a particular thing, they can run across the room and get clarification. Other services have to go back and get it via computer. No face to face interface.

Besides CoCoRaHS, I use National Weather Service

[NDak15]

Originally Posted by ScottStielow

I usually monitor weather forecast on the internet. Is there a more reliable source for NE and NW Wyoming, on line. I go into Tcw, Accu weather or Weather underground at different times, at different locations. Or is their other weather sources not mentioned. I always monitor 511-Wyoroad for more information on road conditions.
Thank you for your replies.
Scott

A reliable weather forecast in Wyoming is a bit of an oxymoron at times. That being said, I either call 511 or check the DOT site before I go out.

[ScottStielow]

Thank you all for the information. EH and Sunsprit. How did you go about becoming a CoCoRaHS Reporter? Is there some kind of information i can check into on the internet, about the program, and the qualifications, i would need to know about. I would not be able apply to it until after I personally visit the area's of NE & NW Wyoming and move. I would be able to research and investigate in the meantime.
Scott

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by ScottStielow

Thank you all for the information. EH and Sunsprit. How did you go about becoming a CoCoRaHS Reporter? Is there some kind of information i can check into on the internet, about the program, and the qualifications, i would need to know about. I would not be able apply to it until after I personally visit the area's of NE & NW Wyoming and move. I would be able to research and investigate in the meantime.
Scott

First, you click your heals together three times, then rub two penny's together, tail sides together, and then......

Or, Just go to this website.

CoCoRaHS - Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network

I was a storm spotter for some time and at one of the training seminar's, they solicited people for CoCoRaHS, which is moisture reporting, be it from snow, rain, etc. CoCoRaHS reporting takes a bit more dedication in that they want a daily report, at a particular time, even if the report is zero. It's not required, but for good data collection, if they don't get a report, they don't know if you just didn't turn one in, or if you didn't get any moisture, so you (at least I do) send in a report, 7 days a week, no matter if we get moisture or not.

With storm reporting, you make and send reports when particular criteria is met, certain size hail, so much wind, rain rate per hour, etc. If one of those things happen, you send in a report. In some cases, because we are so remote and radar's are so far apart, they will call and ask for reports on when it starts raining, or stops, or, in several cases they have called me and said, "What do you see off to the North, or has the edge of the storm gotten to your location yet, or ????? There is a large chunk of Northern Wyoming that does NOT have radar coverage, of any sort. In that large area is ONE storm spotter and he happens to be a bar owner out in the middle of no where. They tell storys about having to call him for information and one of the patrons answering the phone. They say they never know what to expect.

[ScottStielow]

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

First, you click your heals together three times, then rub two penny's together, tail sides together, and then......

Or, Just go to this website.

CoCoRaHS - Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network

I was a storm spotter for some time and at one of the training seminar's, they solicited people for CoCoRaHS, which is moisture reporting, be it from snow, rain, etc. CoCoRaHS reporting takes a bit more dedication in that they want a daily report, at a particular time, even if the report is zero. It's not required, but for good data collection, if they don't get a report, they don't know if you just didn't turn one in, or if you didn't get any moisture, so you (at least I do) send in a report, 7 days a week, no matter if we get moisture or not.

With storm reporting, you make and send reports when particular criteria is met, certain size hail, so much wind, rain rate per hour, etc. If one of those things happen, you send in a report. In some cases, because we are so remote and radar's are so far apart, they will call and ask for reports on when it starts raining, or stops, or, in several cases they have called me and said, "What do you see off to the North, or has the edge of the storm gotten to your location yet, or ????? There is a large chunk of Northern Wyoming that does NOT have radar coverage, of any sort. In that large area is ONE storm spotter and he happens to be a bar owner out in the middle of no where. They tell storys about having to call him for information and one of the patrons answering the phone. They say they never know what to expect.

Thank you EH. Appreciate the information. I've reviewed link and will visit often and watch the training information. I'm looking for some more hobbies for retirement. This might be something I'm interested in. I am used to to doing reports and paper work at the ship yard as you would know about. The Navy floats on paper work.
Do you need any special type of computer equipment and hook ups? I'll just review the link and may find my answers. Thanks again.
Scott

[Ltdumbear]

On Windows-7 (and Vista) I use the MSN-Weather 'gadget'.

Input your local info (zip code/name of town) and it reliably forecasts 5 days out, sit's quietly in the lower right-hand corner of my desktop/screen and has yet to have ever let me down.

The 'stock' (factory-installed) weather-gadget only forecasted 3-days out.

For some reason, Microsoft shut down the 'gadget' download page a few yrs ago, citing security-reasons, but the gadgets can still be found elsewhere doing a google-search.

For a few yrs prior to using the 'weather gadget' I had Weatherunderground dot com website (link below) set up as my homepage on Internet Explorer and found it's reporting to be a bit 'sketchy' at best, and loaded with way too much
irrelevant information, ad's, etc.

82633 Weather Forecast from Weather Underground

Under Windows-8 and 8.1 there are several different 'apps' one can download and set up for local areas and they
update weather conditions quietly on 'live-tiles', but I am not a big fan of Windows 8.

[jody_wy]

During Calving I use GOES West - Western U.S. Visible Imagery Loop (Flash) - Satellite Services Division/Office of Satellite Data Processing and Distribution , I can see the storm and how fast it is moving. most the rest the year I use the NOAA National Weather Service and then the weather cannel for a teday forecast , usually between the last two used together I can figure what going to happen