The National Weather Service (NWS) is Revamping Its Home Pages

Because I write a lot (see links - lower right at my main web site) about current and past weather (and just weather, in general), I am always on the lookout for useable weather web sites.

One of my favorites is the National Weather Service's (NWS) main watch/warning page. The page is chock full of useful information, but some of the information is not easy to access and I have had major concerns about the variable color-coding used to showcase weather hazards. On some days, for example, a tornado watch could be red and on other days, depending upon how many warning types are in effect, it could be yellow. What's worse is that a similar (but reversed color coding) could exist for a different weather hazard. So red could be a tornado watch one day and red could be a flood warning on another.

I've been quite vocal about this potentially confusing scenario and encouraged the NWS to standardize its web site. I've also been an active proponent about others issues with the web pages (e.g. how data are presented concerning weather and climate categories). Others have also obviously expressed concerns about various aspects of these pages. Hence, a redesign is now underway. And readers of this article have an opportunity, until September 12, to comment about it.

As with anything on the web, updates are continually undertaken to ensure that web pages are current and relevant.

My Concerns

My biggest concern about the new site is that the mock-ups are NOT interactive. It's one thing to look at the layout; it's quite another to "mess with it."

Another concern is that local historical weather data seems to be missing from the local weather web page. Although I can't tell for sure, I think that one now has to go through a climate page from the map site map and then drill down to a specific location.

Also, the color-coding issue on the warning map may not be fully addressed. The sample map really has a limited suite of warnings, watches and advisories. Now, if there were some seasonal examples that showcased added warnings (e.g., winter weather hazards, severe storms, hurricanes, marine warnings, heat waves and more), it would be easier to assess. In short, what would a worse case warnings/hazards map really look like with a splash of varied colors?

Further, there are no links (even on the site map) directing visitors to various key NOAA weather centers or offices (e.g., National Centers for Environmental Prediction - NCEP, Storm Prediction Center - SPC, National Hurricane Center - NHC, Climate Prediction Center - CPC, National Climatic Data Center - NCDC, NOAA Satellite Service - NESDIS, etc.) This should be a category somewhere on the page (e.g., even under site map).

A compilation of daily record reports would be a great addition for anyone working on weather stories, reporting about the weather or for educational purposes.

Your comments?

Hence, I've asked the NWS for an extended period in which we can all try out a fully hyperlinked web site. Hopefully, we'll have that opportunity.

If we don't, there will still be an opportunity to provide feedback to the NWS. And, among Federal agencies, the NWS is really quite responsive.

So, please take a look at the old and new NWS main web pages and provide feedback to them. It's the only way you'll get the weather data that you want and need and it's the only way the NWS can address your concerns.

Thanks!

© 2011 H. Michael Mogil