Weather maps

Abstract

Data has to be observed, evaluated, aggregated, and distributed from many sites in a short period of time to create a weather map of any significance for forecasting. Telegraphy permitted the construction of the first meaningful weather maps. For a century international cooperation has facilitated the sharing of weather-related data for coverage beyond national boundaries. Globally weather data are collected regularly through many processes and at many heights and distributed widely. Many mapping systems have been built on this data-rich environment. Weather maps were some of the first graphics available for view online when the Internet went public. Television integrated weather maps into their programming early on. Weather maps are included in many newspapers. Maps are tools used in the study of weather and climate. Many maps will be created and studied in attempts to understand the patterns and behavior of atmospheric phenomena at many levels. A detailed map study of the 1974 Super-Outbreak of tornadoes led to terminology used today to characterize tornadoes. The world map of climatic patterns published at the start of the 20th century has been updated to portray the patterns of climate predicted at the close of the 21st century. Weather is a global phenomenon operating at many scales and weather maps of many types are employed to try to understand and forecast this part of our dynamic environment.