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I was wondering if local weather channels start with some basic data, and then make forecasts from it. Does KSL weather for example use the national weather service's data to start with, or are you able to get weather data from all over the US just from your station and then make predictions?
Thanks, Cameron
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We get asked this a lot, just general questions about how we get the data to make the forecasts. What I love about giving the answer is telling you that you can access all the same data we get via the wonderful internet!
Here's how it works. Models are run by enormous super computers, clearly we can't run those at everystation and we don't need to. All the models are either run by the government or by universities. This data is mostly if not all free and is totally public.
All forecasters use the same data, it is the interpretation of that data that is different for each person. The only real differences are the levels of software each forecaster has. At the National Weather Service, they have fantastic software for every type of imaginable parameter in the atmosphere. At a tv station, we have good software on our weather computers but not as high level.
All data is public and each meteorologists uses it and makes his or her own prediction of weather. We consult with eachother to make sure we're on the same page as well.
Answered by KSL Meteorologist Dina Freedman.
