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, ~ I I I I I I I I I I I __1 ! over the past 20 years. Also, of significant importance to us is the capability of being able to view animated NEXRAD images taken by the National Weather Service (NWS). Gust fronts, surface troughs and frontal boundaries often are revealed to us in these images providing timely, critical data during operational periods as discussed earlier in the Physical Basis for Cloud Seeding. Forecasts, current observations, upper air wind profile data, lightning history, a DUA TS service and other data are also available, Most of the data is received via WeatherTap capable of being put into a looping sequence for time-history detaiL Rawinsondes--those balloon-borne weather-measuring instruments---are launched daily at NWS sites 7 a.m. and at 7 p,m, They contain sensors measuring temperature, pressure and humidity and are tracked for wind speed and direction with height. On the WKWMP the most representative rawinsonde data of the atmosphere over much of the WKWMP target area is taken by the Dodge City site, These data seem to be nearly indispensable to us, providing excellent data from which a good short-term forecast of 12 hours, or less, can be made, We continue using upgraded versions of our rawinsonde analysis program called RAOB, developed by Environmental Research Services. This program allows us to analyze upper air data in a variety of ways. Details shown by the RAOB program are such that, when printed, it can very closely replicate a miniature Log-P, Skew-T diagram, a primary analysis tool used often in daily operations by meteorologists. A special feature ofRAOB is that it is capable of projecting several other sites' rawinsonde data onto the same chart at the same time for comparative , analysis. Another service we use routinely to access weather information is the DIRECT USER ACCESS TERMINAL SYSTEM (DUATS). DUATS is a government-funded weather and flight planning service available to all pilots, accessed via computer terminal and modem. Other analysis software can process and display the data collected via DUA TS, among them are forecasts, hourly surface observations, weather warnings, forecast discussions and radar summaries. Special use can be made of the hourly surface observations since they can be processed through another analysis program that prints out large-area surface observation data within a few minutes after the data is obtained from its source, then analyzed for whatever detail is desired. Frequently, areas of convergence, or divergence, are shown which provide guidance into continuing operations, Radio and TV weather programs are two more sources of useful weather information, Occasionally, background TV monitoring in the field office provides access to other weather updates, advisories, alerts and occasional real-time Doppler radar displays during active severe storm periods, The network affiliates' station meteorologists covering this area exhibit a high degree of professionalism and provide the public with timely severe weather information along with their own professional perspectives, 17