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<br />occurs in periods of heavy precipitation over the field headquarters when the rainfall blocks the <br />satellite signal fed to us and interrupts our view of storms. Even nearby large storms in a direct line <br />of sight to the satellite feed have been known to block the satellite signal. In general, however, DIN <br />has proven to be extremely a valuable and useful tool during seeding operations. <br /> <br />Radio and TV weather programs are two more sources of useful weather information. <br />Background TV monitoring in both of the WKWMP field offices provide access to weather updates, <br />advisories, alerts and occasional real-time Doppler radar displays during active severe storm periods. <br />The network affiliate station meteorologists covering this area exhibit a high degree of professionalism, <br />providing the public with timely severe weather information and their own professional perspectives. <br /> <br />The most significant item relevant to our forecasting function in 1998 was the ever-increasing <br />usefulness of the Internet---just as it was when it began in 1996 (how did we ever get along without <br />it?). Since 1995 we have witnessed an explosion of weather products and data becoming easily <br />accessible to the public on thiiIntemet and this year we found we could obtain nearly every weather <br />product we ever would want using it. The end of this process has not yet arrived and we expect more <br />and even better products in 1999 ll11d beyond. With Internet costs of nearly $20 per month, we can <br />receive numerous superior weather products at a fraction of its cost in previous years. <br /> <br />Through the off-season dedication of one of our assistants, Sam Gardner, we were able to <br />begin the season again with a near state-of-the-art data retrieval capability which he had upgraded <br />between seasons. During the off-season we also continue to maintain our Internet web site which was <br />begun in 1997 by our electronics technician, Brian Litzenberger. However, since las~ year the site has <br />been streamlined and maintained by another assistant, Scott Heeke. During the season WKWMP <br />information was accessible by the public via the Internet. Lakin and Colby radar displays again were <br />made into near real-time loops during most operational days and put onto the Internet. This allowed <br />regional residents, especially rural residents, to track storm movements which might ultimately affect <br />them. The loops were updated every few minutes as operations permitted. Radar data obtained by each <br />WKWMP site also provided valuable information to the other site meteorologist. Storm sequences <br />were usually kept on the web site for 2 - 3 days, or longer. Internet and electronic-mail (e-mail) <br />addresses for both radar sites are: <br /> <br />Lakin Intemet: http://users.pld.com/hailman <br /> <br />Lakin E-mail: hailman@pld.com <br /> <br />Colby Internet: http://colby.ixks.com/-wkwmp/ <br /> <br />Colby E-mail: wkwmp@ixks.com <br /> <br />We continue using upgraded versions of a rawinsonde analysis program called RAOB, . <br />developed by Environmental Research Services. This program allows us to analyze upper air data in <br />a variety of ways. Detail shown by the RAOB program is such that, when printed, it miniaturizes and <br />very closely replicates a printed Log-P, Skew- T diagram, a primary tool used by meteorologists for <br /> <br />14 <br />