Weather Information
Australian Sites
on 04/04/04ABC Online - Australian Weather
http://www.abc.net.au/news/australia/weather/
The ABC Online weather site offers a national weather outlook, state weather, warnings and details, capital city forecasts and weather related news stories.
on 17/09/03Australian Severe Weather
http://australiasevereweather.com
Primarily a site for great photographs of severe weather events (storms etc), but also provides considerable information on storms and similar events.
Australian "storm chaser" reports on particular storm events are provided, along with information on the causes and nature of severe weather events, and current weather maps.
Detailed sections are devoted to tropical cyclones, lightning strike data, tornadoes and weather observations for the capital cities (mainly Sydney). The site also provides an "electronic book" on observing weather, a link to the "Aussie weather" email mailing list, and links to other weather sites.
on 04/04/03Australian Weather News
http://www.australianweathernews.com
The news pages on this site are written in the web masters spare time, so the site tends to be updated in an ad-hock fashion. The general idea of the site however is to "summarise all significant, unusual and noteworthy weather around Australia on a day-by-day basis".
When the site is updates, the 24-hour rainfall information appears first, followed by short term rainfall, wind gust and other extreme data. Maximum and minimum temperatures are then added to the site along with text for weather news stories describing the more significant weather events. Additional or corrected information is occasionally added to the site as it comes to hand.
on 17/09/03Central & Southern Tablelands Weather
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~sjhop/c&stw.html
A range of links focusing on weather information for the Central and Southern tablelands of New South Wales.
on 17/09/03CSIRO Atmospheric Research
Information on the Division, including contacts, staff, activities, press releases, technical papers and publications.
Information is provided on research activities in the areas of atmospheric pollution, atmospheric processes, climate modelling and global atmospheric change.
The site publishes the Atmosphere newsletter, information material on issues such as El Nino, drought, the greenhouse effect, and acidification of rainwater. Some reports are published, such as on likely temperature and rainfall changes in NSW (in pdf), and simulations such as on air pollution and greenhouse gases.
The Weatherwall section provides current weather charts, updated every 30 seconds (requires Java-enabled browser).
on 17/09/03Department of Agriculture WA - Climate Impacts and Weather Information
http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/climate/
This site is included here for the weather information it provides through the Department of Agriculture Automatic Weather Station Network. Real time readings of weather information are available from weather stations in Metropolitan areas, the Eastern wheatbelt, the Central wheatbelt, the South Eastern wheatbelt, the South West and the North West.
Other weather information, such as Long Term Average Monthly Rainfall for Western Australia, Updated Rainfall Maps, Monthly rain to date for selected sites in WA, soil moisture maps and wheat yield forecasts, Seasonal Outlooks and an El Nino Prediction Index, are also available.
on 18/09/03JCU MetSat
http://ludo.jcu.edu.au/ece/JCUMetSat/
Satellite images, in both still and moving pictures, of current weather patterns in the Pacific Basin, Australia and Queensland.
on 18/09/03Macquarie University - Automatic Weather Station
http://atmos.es.mq.edu.au/~aws2/
The Division of Environmental & Life Sciences' Automatic Weather Station (AWS). The station is administered by the Division's Atmospheric Science Group at Macquarie University. Access to both real-time and archived data is available and information is provided on what is measured and the instrumentation used. Links to other Sydney weather observations and an archive of interesting and typical events are also provided.
on 18/09/03METeorology on the NET - Bureau of Meteorology
One of the most popular Australian sites with the agricultural community.
The Bureau provides a substantial amount of weather information on its site. Weather information includes current warnings, forecasts for every part of Australia, weather charts and satellite images. The site includes a number of educational brochures about meteorology (eg, on the El Nino effect and bushfire weather) along with a list of publications and links to other weather sites.
Climate information includes maps of rainfall and temperatures. Information for the current and next season (ie three months) is provided on droughts, Southern Oscillation Index graphs, further information on El Nino, rainfall for the last month, the last three months and probabilities for the next three months. This information is brought together for agriculture in the Silo section of the site, which includes sections on weather reports, rainfall, drought, temperature, solar radiation, the seasonal climate outlook, and information on other Bureau products and services.
All this is publicly accessible but the site is also an 'extranet' providing additional information to registered users (an order form is available for printing out). The Special Services Unit page includes a "farmweather" section, ie, the Bureau's fax service, and information on how to get weather information (eg radio times). A demonstration of the Australian Rainman CD-ROM is provided.
Other information at the site includes information on the Bureau, contacts, press statements, publications, conferences, and an online feedback form is provided.
on 18/09/03SILO - Weather for the land
The SILO site provides a rich source of meteorological and agricultural data of particular interest to anyone involved in the agricultural arena. The objectives of SILO are: To provide a rich source of national meteorological and agricultural data that is readily accessible to decision makers, researchers and educationalists, particularly in the agricultural area; to develop a coordinated information service that will facilitate further adoption of climatic risk management techniques by landholders and agribusiness; to provide a framework to encourage future additions to the agrometeorological data bank; and, to establish the collaborations required to ensure the system remains operational beyond the term of SILO's research funding.
SILO offers an extensive range of both free and subscription based content and services through its web site, including information such as Weather Reports,
Rainfall, Drought, Temperature, Rainfall Reliability, Solar Radiation, Satellite Loops, Seasonal Climate Outlook and name a few.
on 18/09/03Tasmanian Tide and Weather Information
http://www.tfic.com.au/tasmanian_tide_and%20_weather%20_information.html
A number of links focusing on Tasmanian tide and weather information.
on 18/09/03Telstra Big Pond Weather
http://newsdesk.bigpond.com/Weather/
Information on this site is provided by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and is updated regularly. The site provides Weather in Brief and as more detailed state forecasts with predictions for a four day outlook. A detailed District outlook is provided, with the option of entering a town to receive forecasted conditions. Where appropriate Local and Coastal Waters forecasts are provided.
The site offers Definitions - an interpretation of weather icons and temperature guide graphics, an animated Satellite image of Australia and links to a Warning Service on the Bureau of Meteorology site.
on 18/09/03The Farmshed Weather
http://www.thefarmshed.com.au/weather/index.jhtml
Farmshed weather is a detailed site, which provides 4-day forecast and features Satellite images, a national synoptic chart and a rainfall probability map. An SOI graph is featured and a ten day rainfall outlook. Information is provided on rainfall received and actual rainfall by station. The site offers weather warnings, a weather watch and a glossary of weather terms.
on 18/09/03The Long Paddock - Climate Information Highway - Queensland Departments of Natural Resources and Primary Industries
http://www.dnr.qld.gov.au/longpdk/
Weather and climatic information of broader interest than just Queensland farmers. In particular, it provides daily Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) values, along with a commentary on what this implies for Queensland weather, with daily SOI data for the last month and monthly data, in both tables and graphs, since 1900.
The site provides information on how the SOI is calculated, and global maps on monthly sea-surface temperatures. It shows rainfall probabilities for the next three months for a given SOI value, for the world, Australia and Queensland, along with a monthly map for the last two years. Monthly rainfall data for Queensland is provided back to 1900.
Queensland drought situation reports are provided, and vegetation greenness maps of Queensland. Information is provided on Aussie GRASS grassland assessment project and climate change and its implications. An online feedback form is provided.
on 18/09/03The Weather Channel
http://www.weatherchannel.com.au
Part of the site is dedicated to information about The Weather Channel, which can be viewed through the Austar TV cable network. The remainder of the site offers a national weather commentary with headline news, as well as state and regional forecasts, accessible via an easy to use map interface. Marine forecasts and warnings are also available, along with a weather forum where you can post reports from your area or ask technical questions of The Weather Channels experts.
on 18/09/03Weatherzone
Registering (for free) on Weatherzone gives access to comprehensive Australian weather information such as SMS weather alerts, the latest observations, satellite images, weather radar and lightning tracker. Forecasts are available for Capital Cities, Towns, Districts, State, Marine or Tropical Updates and weather maps are available for 6 day rain and temp, Computer Models, Waves and Swell, SST Anomalies and the Southern Oscillation Index.
on 18/09/03Weather & global monitoring - Charles Sturt University
http://www.csu.edu.au/weather.html
A links page to a wide range of weather sources (and other events such as earthquakes and bushfires).
Some Overseas Sites
on 18/09/0310-Day Precipitation Outlook for Australia
http://grads.iges.org/pix/prec7.html
Offers a map based, 10-Day Precipitation Outlook for Australia, updated daily.
on 19/09/03International Research Institute for Climate Prediction
A climate research institute, focusing particularly on the El Nino phenomenon. Includes global weather conditions and forecasts, including for Australia, and current information on the Southern Oscillation Index.
The site contains extensive news and information relating to meteorology and activities within the "Industry".
on 04/04/04World Weather Information Service
This web site presents official weather forecasts and climate information for selected cities supplied by National Meteorological Services (NMSs) worldwide. The NMSs make official weather observations in their respective countries and links to the web sites of participating NMSs are provided where possible. By January 2004, 1002 cities from 153 WMO Members have their climatological data presented in this web site.
on 19/09/03Yahoo Weather
Type a city, including over 200 locations in Australia, into the inquiry form and immediately access a five-day forecast of temperatures and weather conditions for that location, and maps of weather conditions, temperatures and precipitation. Alternatively, these Australian locations can be navigated manually be clicking on the link to the "Oceania", then "Australia".
There are also links to other weather sites included in Yahoo's directory.