Model:

Updated:

4 times per day, from 08:00, 14:00, 20:00, and 00:00 UTC

Greenwich Mean Time:

12:00 UTC = 08:00 EDT

Resolution:

0.01° x 0.01°

Parameter:

Wet bulb freezing level

Description:

(Abbrev. WBZ) - the height where the wet-bulb temperature goes below 0°C. It is important because WBZ heights between 7000 ft and 10,500 ft (above ground level) correlate well with large hail at the surface when storms develop in an airmass primed for strong convection. Higher values infer mid and upper level stability and also indicate a large melting area for falling hail. Lower WBZ heights indicate that the low level atmosphere is often too cool and stable to support large hail. (Source: National Weather Service)

Arome:

Arome
The Arome forecasting system is a blend of the best components from the Méso-NH model, the Aladin model, and the IFS/Arpège data assimilation software. Its focus is on the numerical prediction of intense convective systems over mainland France by 2008. Other important weather phenomena will also begin to be reliably forecast, thanks to a high (kilometric) spatial resolution and the use of regional observing systems. The Arome software is designed to be accessible to a wide research community.

NWP:

Numerical weather prediction uses current weather conditions as input into mathematical models of the atmosphere to predict the weather. Although the first efforts to accomplish this were done in the 1920s, it wasn't until the advent of the computer and computer simulation that it was feasible to do in real-time. Manipulating the huge datasets and performing the complex calculations necessary to do this on a resolution fine enough to make the results useful requires the use of some of the most powerful supercomputers in the world. A number of forecast models, both global and regional in scale, are run to help create forecasts for nations worldwide. Use of model ensemble forecasts helps to define the forecast uncertainty and extend weather forecasting farther into the future than would otherwise be possible.

Wikipedia, Numerical weather prediction, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numerical_weather_prediction(as of Feb. 9, 2010, 20:50 UTC).