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INITIALIZING A MODEL

METEOROLOGIST JEFF HABY

A model is initialized by comparing the analysis charts using real observations to the forecast model's initialization (analysis) of that data. A model initializes well when the analysis chart looks similar to the model's initialization (on placement and central pressure of highs and lows, position of synoptic features). A model's initialization is the 00 hour data, thus it is not a true forecast product since it is trying the represent current conditions. Make sure when initializing a model that you compare them using the same time period. The analysis charts will come out before the model analysis images.

The following website has analysis charts:

http://www.atmos.albany.edu/weather/difax.html

The following website is the model initializations:

http://weather.unisys.com/nam/nam.php?plot=pres&inv=0&t=ini

*at top of that webpage is a menu where you can switch between the different models and different levels