The purpose of this National Weather Service (NWS) Jacksonville/University of North Florida partnership project is to develop, test and evaluate the ability to use Palm, or Palm like devices - Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), to transmit and receive wireless weather observations. These reports will be sent directly from a trained storm spotter’s or a mariner’s PDA device to a virtual database, and a graphical Web site, which will prepare the collected records for display on any PDA device.

It is envisioned that this project will validate that a boater or storm spotter will be able receive the latest NWS forecast, advisories and warnings, plus the latest weather conditions from trained mariners or storm spotters over wireless PDAs. It will also provide a weather verification feedback system that will enhance, improve and reinforce forecast products, advisories and warnings issued by NWS forecasters.