The Seattle National Weather Service Forecast Office has
adopted a new set of national icons for its Forecast at a Glance page
effective mid February 2007. The revised icons are designed to include more
detailed information such as the chance of measurable precipitation and forecast
trends.
This Afternoon
Tonight
Tomorrow
Tomorrow Night
Chance Rain
Rain Likely
Rain Likely
Chance Rain
There is no better source for current or forecast weather information on the web
than the Forecast at a Glance web page from the National Weather
Service. It provides you with:
A quick overview of expected weather for the next 7 days
A detailed local 7-day forecast
Links to the latest weather hazards in your area
Current weather conditions near your location with links to recent
weather conditions from around the area
An icon (click to enlarge) to your local Doppler weather radar image
An icon (click to enlarge) of a local satellite image
A link to the Seattle National Weather Forecast office (or other NWS
forecast offices around the country) as well as links to other information
provided by that office
Forecast at a Glance
One of the first things you notice are the icons and a short one to three word
forecast for your location of interest. These are designed to provide you a
quick glance at the forecast. The one to three word forecast is usually for the
most significant or hazardous weather anticipated during that forecast period.
Should you see hazardous weather mentioned, check the accompanying detailed
forecast for complete information.
Point Forecasts
In this age of digital forecasts, you can now get a National Weather Service
forecast within about 2 miles of your desired location. Since 2003, the
National Weather Service has been producing a digital forecast database based on
a grid point map with grid points spaced out about every 3 miles. What does
this mean for you? Your forecast is now relevant to your location or
neighborhood, and no longer necessarily for an entire general area such as the
Seattle, Tacoma, Everett and vicinity.
Learn more about point forecasts and the many different ways you can now look at
your forecast via this web site link!
Hazardous Weather and the Detailed Forecast
The detailed forecast section below the Forecast at a Glance serves two
purposes. First, links are provided for all current event-driven hazardous
weather watches, warnings, advisories, and/or outlooks for your location. This
section also provides the full zone forecast test for the next seven days. For
mountain areas, the designated zone forecast will provide the freezing and snow
level forecasts.
Detailed Point Forecast
If you click on the map to your desired geographical location, you get a
site-specific detailed 7-day forecast for your neighborhood instead of the full
area zone forecast.
Even More Information
There are many other forecast and weather information links on the Forecast
at a Glance web page as well, including the widely popular Area Forecast
Discussion issued four times a day. The forecast discussion helps provide
insight behind the forecast direct from your local forecaster.
The forecast material found on the Forecast at a Glance web page is from
the National Digital Forecast Database or NDFD. For more
information about the NDFD including how it is produced and how you can use it
for a wide variety of uses such as XML and web site links, visit the NDFD web
site at:
http://www.weather.gov/ndfd/
If you desire even more detailed site-specific forecast information such
as hourly forecast information for those important outdoor activities,
visit the NWS Seattle digital forecast database web site link at:
http://ifps.wrh.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/dwf?siteID=SEW
For information about wireless access to National Weather Service
forecast and current weather conditions including the latest local Doppler
weather radar information (really cool when you are on the road, at the
construction site or at the ball field), visit this web site:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/cte.htm
Feedback about the Forecast at a Glance web site is welcome. Please send
your feedback to:
w-sew.webmaster@noaa.gov
National Weather Service Mission: "The
National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather,
hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings for
the United States, its territories, adjacent waters
and ocean areas, for the protection of life and
property and the enhancement of the national economy.
NWS data and products form a national information
database and infrastructure which can be used by
other governmental agencies, the private sector,
the public, and the global community."
www.weather.gov 
