Maps for the Weather Forecasting Project for Fall 2021

Click on the thumbnails below to open larger images of each map in another window or tab.

The forecasts are all valid for 12Z on Sunday, November 14. The difference between each row is the length of the forecast time between the model initialization time and the valid time for the forecast. The last row contains the actual (or true) 500 mb height pattern for 12Z on Sunday, November 14, so it is not actually a forecast, but the 500 mb height pattern based on measurements. A perfect forecast in any of the rows with forecast maps would exactly match the maps in the last row, which is sometimes called the forecast verification map.

The columns contain both the ECMWF and GFS model forecasts. Each model forecast is provided for two zoom settings, one centered over North America, and the other zooms in on the continental United States. I like to use the North American setting to view the large-scale weather features, like troughs and ridges, and the continental US setting to see more detail when reading the height at a given location. I highly recommend you click on the US zoom when reading the 500 mb heights at your selected cities or locations.

The forecast and verification maps will be available about 6 hours after forecast initialization or verification time.

Table of 500 mb maps used for the Weather Forecasting Project
Forecast Period	ECMWF Model North America	ECMWF Model US Zoom	GFS Model North America	GFS Model US Zoom
10-day forecast Initiated at 12Z Thursday, November 4 Valid 12Z Sunday, November 14
7-day forecast Initiated at 12Z Sunday, November 7 Valid 12Z Sunday, November 14
4-day forecast Initiated at 12Z Wednesday, November 10 Valid 12Z Sunday, November 14
0-day forecast Initialization for 12Z Sunday, November 14 These are the Verification maps for the forecasts above The 500 mb patterns on these maps are basically identical; This is the actual (true) 500 mb height pattern.