A Real-Time Weather System for Forestry

Abstract

The Forestry Weather Interpretations System (FWIS) has been pilot-tested in 12 southern states from Virginia to Texas for two years. Hourly surface observational data from airport locations, upper-air soundings, and Georgia forecast data, entered manually into the system by the personnel of the National Weather Service Atlanta Forecast Office, are localized by interpolation, and specialized for forest managers by driving user-decision models with the weather data base. Average annual daily use of the system was 70 accesses per day, with total usage peaks in spring and winter. Forecast and observational products each accounted for 40% of total accesses, and special forest management products accounted for 20% however, the demand for special products is growing faster than that for forecast or observed products. Total accesses varied depending on season and current weather, but, in general, there was a continuing upward trend for all products.