The Aviation Weather Center Homepage, began in October of 1995 with the creation of the Aviation Weather Center and Storm Prediction Center. It's focus is to provide alternative access to data for the users of Aviation Meteorological data and general access the public. Since a significant portion of the users of the Aviation Weather Centers products consists of general aviation pilots who are more interested in accessing data and the safety of flight than in waiting
for sophisticated graphics, the pages emphasize simplicity of use and speed of loading. Users are encouraged to use the pages to familiarize themselves with the current weather conditions and to
better understand the meteorology prior to receiving their pre-flight weather briefings. Since students interested in meteorology and the sciences are also regular visitors to the WEB site, explanations of products and tables accompanied the products.
Approaching the era of free-flight, in October of 1997, the Aviation Weather Center recognizes the impact and utility of the INTERNET in accomplishing it's mission. Realizing the necessity of providing a reputable, stable, and reliable source of aviation weather information, a meteorologist now works full time maintaining the page along with the Aviation Digital Data Service (ADDS).
The Aviation Weather Center Homepage strives to not only provide forecast products, but also reveal to users some of the decision making parameters used by the forecasters in creating the products. Satellite images are overlaid with aviation weather parameters such as GOES8 and GOES9 visible/fog images with sky conditions and aviation flight conditions. Composite images provide near continuous satellite coverage across trans-oceanic flight paths by using re-mapping
algorithms. Other products include a National Radar Composite with convective tops and SIGMETS, graphics and texts of AIRMETS, SIGMETS, and TAFS, and GIF images of World Area Forecast System Facsimile products.
The Aviation Weather Center Homepage is also a platform to deliver experimental products to the scientific community. Many algorithms such a Neural Network Icing Forecasts, Mountain Wave Forecasts, and a convection forecast algorithm (VVSTORM) are presented on the
homepage for evaluation and to stimulate future development among aviation weather research participants