NCEP's new model anlayses and guidance web site

Around eight years ago, NCEP's Central Operations (NCO) created a static html formatted web page to display numerical model guidance and upper air observations. This site was developed to address an immediate need to serve National Weather Service model graphics to our users. It allows an experienced user to select an area of interest, forecast period time, time frame, and model/observation type to show the product image in GIF format.

In December 2008, NCO launched a project to redesign the entire Model Analysis and Guidance (MAG) site to create a more professional and interactive interface, showcasing the National Weather Service's observational database and suite of numerical model analyses and guidance. The focus was to design a web interface with a streamlined graphical approach that displays products similar to those used by forecasters today in NWS Offices which could be used by the Private industry as well as the general public.

The new site was developed with a Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) Web based multi-tier application that integrates the currently available model image product and J2EE dynamic web process to enable an interactive Web interface for product selection. This dynamically-driven web site will provide the opportunity for NCO to develop future functionality such as pairing it with the operational NOMADS (define) system. To further reduce the system complexity, the entire MAG system including graphics creation will reside at NOAA's Web Operations Center (WOC). A complete overview of the project's goals and timelines will be discussed as well as a demonstration of the new site's functionality