Interested in learning about weather?

[Downdraft]

I seldom plug anything on here unless I think it's a benefit for everyone. So many new people in here now have a general interest in weather and I wanted to let them know there is a forecast product on the market that coupled along with the books sold at the site can help teach you weather forecasting. The product is called Digital Atmosphere and you can demo it at:
http://www.weathergraphics.com

I also recommend the textbooks; The Red Book, Weather Forecasting Handbook and Weather Map Handbook.

None of the above will make a you meteorologist but they will give far more than of an understanding of weather than you will find anywhere else. [/img]

[VanceWxMan]

That program and set of books is created and authored by none other than Tim Vasquez! Tim, a prior USAF Met, is a genius and after getting out of the USAF he started his Digital Atmosphere business.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND TIM'S BOOKS! He is a wonderful writer and makes it easy for you to understand what meteorology is all about!

His computer programs from Digital Atmosphere to RAOB are a must have IMHO! The Digital Atmosphere program will let you make upper air, SFC, variable maps and then some!
The RAOB program will let you triangulate your own skew-T using 3 or more data points around your area. I have used this program MANY times during my career and it is by far one of the best Skew-T program on the market today!

Tim also has other programs that he has created but I have not really used them. I can tell you this...no matter what you purchase from Tim you will be very happy with it!

[isobar]

This past March, I had the privilege of attending Tim's annual forecasting class taught in Jim LaDue's living room. It's held the same weekend as the National Severe Weather Workshop in Norman, OK and limited to only 8 students. Needless to say, it was fantastic. Near the end of the class, we break up into teams and go on a virtual chase using charts from an actual tornado event. Jim also helped teach the class, sharing his expertise on soundings. Go to Tim's homepage listed above and click on "Forecast School" for more info.

I have every book written by Tim. I can't say enough about how much I've learned from them. In the back of each are a collection of historical weather events along with blank wx maps so that the reader can practice hand drawing fronts, boundaries, isobars, and basically watching the event unfold before you. Of course you don't know what the actual event is unless you cheat and peak at the answer key. Of course I never cheat!