Scott Hammel
EF4
Don't think so. Looking at the DVD cover it says Windows only, although I'm sure you could use your mac to browse all of the radar images. I'm running the program on my mac via boot camp with XP.
NEW - Forecast Simulator
- Thread starter Tim Vasquez
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Don't think so. Looking at the DVD cover it says Windows only, although I'm sure you could use your mac to browse all of the radar images. I'm running the program on my mac via boot camp with XP.
Stephen Barabas
EF0
Yeah. . . I need to buy this program too. It's pretty sweet. Heck, I need to still learn how to use BUFKIT. I've been telling myself I need to learn it over the summer, which I have yet to do.
CZandbergen
EF2
Since it has been awhile since this was released can anyone give an updated review? I am looking at picking up a copy and would like to hear from those that have used it for a bit.
Larry J. Kosch
EF2
Forecast Simulator Review
I bought Forecast Simulator recently and my initial impression is quite good with a few problems/quirks.
I did a couple of test runs using the software without knowing what the forecast date was. I was off-base on one run and got the TW box in the right state on another run. Of course I cheated on one run where I knew the tornado was going to be and got good chaser results.
One of the problems/quirks I had was trying to set up my TW/SWW box on the forecast map. The click-drag makes the pologon box flip flop on me. First it was N-S, then it went E-W. ARRGHH!
(Perhaps Tim can help me here?) 
I'm also a newbie when it comes to looking at soundings. Uh, are those lines supposed to criss-cross somewhere or what? (Again help is needed!)
I didn't see any radar pictures on Forecast Simulators. Perhaps that's what makes Forecast Laboratory better!
Overall, I would rate it very good. Makes for interesting reading and viewing on those cold, wintery days when you are down with SDS!!
I bought Forecast Simulator recently and my initial impression is quite good with a few problems/quirks.
I did a couple of test runs using the software without knowing what the forecast date was. I was off-base on one run and got the TW box in the right state on another run. Of course I cheated on one run where I knew the tornado was going to be and got good chaser results.
One of the problems/quirks I had was trying to set up my TW/SWW box on the forecast map. The click-drag makes the pologon box flip flop on me. First it was N-S, then it went E-W. ARRGHH!
(Perhaps Tim can help me here?) I'm also a newbie when it comes to looking at soundings. Uh, are those lines supposed to criss-cross somewhere or what? (Again help is needed!)
I didn't see any radar pictures on Forecast Simulators. Perhaps that's what makes Forecast Laboratory better!
Overall, I would rate it very good. Makes for interesting reading and viewing on those cold, wintery days when you are down with SDS!!
Ian Miller
EF0
Been using the old version for a rew years now, it's great for tuning in your skills on those dark winter nights, methinks i will treat myself to the new version for xmas.
i guess i can run it under an emulator for Linux, or boot up the XP laptop and run it on that.
i guess i can run it under an emulator for Linux, or boot up the XP laptop and run it on that.
Connor Keef
EF0
Has anybody tried this with Windows 7 yet?
D. Hayes
Yes it works on Windows 7.
I just got my copy today. Aside from pulling my hair out when it wasn't working. Found out even though it installed from my J: drive it wasn't reading from there. It was trying to read from my I: drive. I moved the CD to the other drive and it's now working.
It would be nice to remap the keyboard. I would like to use the arrow pad to move the map and the + and - to zoom or better yet the mouse do the moving and scroll wheel doing the zooming.
I'm sure I'll get use to it though. Time to start working on learning.
I just got my copy today. Aside from pulling my hair out when it wasn't working. Found out even though it installed from my J: drive it wasn't reading from there. It was trying to read from my I: drive. I moved the CD to the other drive and it's now working.
It would be nice to remap the keyboard. I would like to use the arrow pad to move the map and the + and - to zoom or better yet the mouse do the moving and scroll wheel doing the zooming.
I'm sure I'll get use to it though. Time to start working on learning.
Justin Wiley
EF1
I got the full "weather package" for Christmas - Simulator, Storm Chasing Handbook, Weather Forecasting Handbook, and Extreme American Weather. I was a pretty excited little kid to say the least.
I've done the Simulator a few times and it's fantastic. This will keep me entertained the rest of the winter.
And now it's on to some reading..
I've done the Simulator a few times and it's fantastic. This will keep me entertained the rest of the winter.
And now it's on to some reading..
Christopher E. Kincaid
Which is better, simulator or lab? I am thinking about getting one. What do you all recommend?
Chris Heater
EF3
Just ordered my copy. I can't wait! Seems like a great program
I ordered a copy of Forecast Lab for Xmas and it arrived a few weeks ago (I'm in England, so these things take a little while!). I'm flying to Kansas on 4th June for 3 weeks chasing with my boyfriend. We're both so excited and have spent every minute since October learning as much as possible and we still have 94 days to go, so we can pack a lot in this time. We thought it may be useful to purchase Forecast Lab to help us apply the theory we've been learning to past situations on the Plains.
There are over 400 scenarios and we initially spend a great deal of time analysing the surface maps and looking through all the soundings. It really is teaching us a great deal. Even when it culminates with a bust chase, it's useful to look back at the earlier data to see if we could have identified this from the start.
One thing I am struggling with however, and please excuse my naivety if this is common place, but all the surface maps I have seen in the past have circular symbols in the centre that represent the type of cloud cover. However, with Forecast Lab, the symbols can be square or circular and are often red or blue. What do the squares / colours represent?
Any help would be really appreciated. I've had a look online, but there appears to be little help around this product.
Many thanks,
Cammie
There are over 400 scenarios and we initially spend a great deal of time analysing the surface maps and looking through all the soundings. It really is teaching us a great deal. Even when it culminates with a bust chase, it's useful to look back at the earlier data to see if we could have identified this from the start.
One thing I am struggling with however, and please excuse my naivety if this is common place, but all the surface maps I have seen in the past have circular symbols in the centre that represent the type of cloud cover. However, with Forecast Lab, the symbols can be square or circular and are often red or blue. What do the squares / colours represent?
Any help would be really appreciated. I've had a look online, but there appears to be little help around this product.
Many thanks,
Cammie
rdale
EF5
Squares are from completely automated obs while circles have manual augmentation. I think red = IFR and blue = VFR but I'll leave that to a pilot.
mikedeason
EF5
Red should represent IFR (instrument flight rules) conditions (ceiling below 1000 ft and/or visibility below 3 miles) while blue represents MVFR (marginal visual flight rules) conditions (ceiling between 1000-3000 ft and/or visibility 3-5 miles.)
Thank you very much for the last 2 replies. Could I also please ask whether I should therefore be interpreting these in a different way whilst studying the surface maps (due to the different ceilings?) Sorry for my lack of understanding on this subject. I had not heard of IFR or MVFR before.
Sometimes I feel I am lacking the knowledge on exactly how to interpret some of the maps on Forecast Lab, and their individual merits. I have been studing since October 09 -using this forum as a prime resource, Tim Vasquez's Storm Chasing handbook, numerous other material and have taken a course in 'understanding the weather'.
I often have questions such as what exactly can be gained from the 850mb map? How do you best define a dryline on the surface map when there appears to be little difference in dew point depressions? To what height should moisture be available - is it better to have mid-level dryer air?
All of this data is available on Forecast Lab, but what I am really looking for is an aid to help me with my interpretation. I am aware that Tim Vasquez has a number of other books that may be of use, but I was wondering if anyone had any opinions as to which of the below may help me approach Forecast Lab in a more intuitive manner.
Weather Forecasting Handbook (purple)
Weather Map Handbook (green)
Severe Storm Forecasting (blue)
Many thanks in advance for any advice.
Cammie
Sometimes I feel I am lacking the knowledge on exactly how to interpret some of the maps on Forecast Lab, and their individual merits. I have been studing since October 09 -using this forum as a prime resource, Tim Vasquez's Storm Chasing handbook, numerous other material and have taken a course in 'understanding the weather'.
I often have questions such as what exactly can be gained from the 850mb map? How do you best define a dryline on the surface map when there appears to be little difference in dew point depressions? To what height should moisture be available - is it better to have mid-level dryer air?
All of this data is available on Forecast Lab, but what I am really looking for is an aid to help me with my interpretation. I am aware that Tim Vasquez has a number of other books that may be of use, but I was wondering if anyone had any opinions as to which of the below may help me approach Forecast Lab in a more intuitive manner.
Weather Forecasting Handbook (purple)
Weather Map Handbook (green)
Severe Storm Forecasting (blue)
Many thanks in advance for any advice.
Cammie
Jordan Bell
EF0
Cammie,
We used the weather map handbook for one of my first introductory course here at Mizzou. Its worth getting I recently got the severe storms forecasting one. I haven't read to much of it yet because classes keep getting in the way. But it goes more in depth than the Chaser book. I would recommend getting all of Tim's books. They are all useful in their own way.
We used the weather map handbook for one of my first introductory course here at Mizzou. Its worth getting I recently got the severe storms forecasting one. I haven't read to much of it yet because classes keep getting in the way. But it goes more in depth than the Chaser book. I would recommend getting all of Tim's books. They are all useful in their own way.
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