FutureCast

STORMTRACKER 13FutureCast isour high resolution, computerrepresentationof the clouds and precipitationover Colorado,through the next 48 hours. The program runs twice a day, at 6am and 6pm as we are constantly updating information tracking storms into Colorado.

Many data sets, including surface information, satellite data, weather ballons and wind profilers are input into the program as a snapshot of what the atmosphere is doing now.A series of long mathematical equations that govern the motion of the atmosphere in the program then compute what the atmosphere will look like in the future.

It is important to note that all weather models do have limitations that stem from our ability to collect weather data and our ability to accurately represent with mathematics what happens on the micro scale level within individual clouds. The dark grey to white colors that you see represent clouds on our model. Within these areas of clouds, if you see a couple relatively small circular precipitation areas, that generally represents the potential for some spotty or scattered showers. A large and well defined area of precipitation shading from the model will typically be associated with a large-scale storm that hashighly organizedand significant lift. Precipitation is more likely to be widespread, and possibly heavy in these scenarios.

Stormtracker 13 Chief Meteorologist Matt Meister