Weather Center (also spelled weather centre in British English) is a general term for a facility or organization where meteorological data is collected, analyzed, and disseminated for the purpose of weather forecasting and climate study. The term also refers to several specific institutions and entities.
General Definition
In its broadest sense, a weather center (or weather centre) is a place where experts study the weather and report on how conditions are likely to change. It collects, collates, evaluates, and disseminates meteorological information, serving as a principal source of such information for a given area. Measurements typically include temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, wind speed and direction, and precipitation.
Notable Specific Entities
National Weather Center (NWC)
Located on the campus of the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma, the National Weather Center is a confederation of federal, state, and academic organizations. It houses partners from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including the National Severe Storms Laboratory, the Storm Prediction Center, and the Norman Weather Forecast Office, as well as University of Oklahoma units such as the School of Meteorology and the Advanced Radar Research Center. The building opened in 2006 and encompasses approximately 250,000 square feet.
Weather Prediction Center (WPC)
Based in College Park, Maryland, the Weather Prediction Center is one of nine service centers under the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), part of the U.S. National Weather Service. It specializes in quantitative precipitation forecasting, medium-range forecasting (three to eight days), and interpretation of numerical weather prediction models. It was originally established in 1942 as the Analysis Center and was known as the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center until March 2013.
Weather Center Live (Television Program)
Weather Center Live (originally titled Weather Center) was an American weather news television program that aired on The Weather Channel from 2009 until 2021. It served as the channel's de facto flagship forecast program, featuring weather forecasts, analysis, and weather-related feature segments. The program aired in various daytime and evening timeslots.
Weather Central (Company)
Weather Central, LP is a private company founded in 1974 in Madison, Wisconsin, that provides weather data and production tools to the media industry. It is one of the largest providers of broadcast and interactive web weather solutions for media companies in the United States and internationally, serving approximately 400 broadcast television clients in 21 countries.
Center Weather Service Unit (CWSU)
A Center Weather Service Unit is a National Weather Service unit located inside each of the Federal Aviation Administration's 22 Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs) in the United States. CWSU meteorologists provide meteorological support for air traffic management, issuing advisories such as Center Weather Advisories and Meteorological Impact Statements.
Military Definition
In a military context, a "weather central" is defined as an organization that collects, collates, evaluates, and disseminates meteorological information in such a manner that it becomes a principal source of such information for a given area.
See Also
- Weather station
- Weather forecasting
- National Weather Service
- World Meteorological Organization
