NOAA Weather In-Situ Deployment Optimization Method

WISDOM Information

The NOAA WISDOM Balloon Program collects weather data from separated locations, sends it to MADIS for archival and quality checking and is then distributed to users. Here, the data are winds determined by small constant altitude balloons, launched by college student teams and others, from up to ten locations before and during, but far from, hurricane activity.

WISDOM Balloon launch sites

The following is a list of Lattitude/Longitude, Maps (location and links to other maps), Winds (surface winds and weather history), and the location name. Current status for each site is available here.

N 38.75550 /W 27.06417 - Maps - Winds - Azores

N 13.33433 / W 59.61300 - Maps - Winds - Barbados

N 32.37050 / W 64.66200 - Maps - Winds - Bermuda

N 27.58200 / W 97.21933 - Maps - Winds - Corpus Christi, TX

N 14.75117 / W 17.47467 - Maps - Winds - Dakar, Senegal

N 24.88455 / W 80.68565 - Maps - Winds - Islamorada, FL

N 17.97900 / W 67.07883 - Maps - Winds - Lajas, PR

N 30.28283 / W 89.36783 - Maps - Winds - Waveland, MS

N 32.03367 / W 80.90397 - Maps - Winds - Tybee Island CGS, GA

N 37.93173 / W 75.38337 - Maps - Winds - Wallops Island CGS, VA

Prediction graphics:

• Plots of predicted trajectories if WISDOM Balloons were launched from the above launch sites.
• GFS and FIM winds for WISDOM balloons from all 10 sites
  • 0-7 day predicted locations *
  • 2-7 day predicted locations *
• Predictions using Google Earth Images (Developed by Wade Givins of Mississippi State University)
  • 0-7 day KMZ file *
  • 2-7 day KMZ file *
• Trajectory map display on the Northern Gulf Institute web page.
• Graphics by Philip Gladstone, 2008 NOAA Environmental Hero Award recipient for his work making MADIS quality checking data widely accessible
  • Current WISDOM Tracker *
  • WISDOM RSS feed * - WISDOM balloon launches, terminations, and related News.
  • Twitter feed * - gives launches and positions.
• The WISDOM Balloon locations received since the top of the current hour are available here. However, there won't be a file present if data have not been received since the top of the hour.

More details are in a recent Washington Post Article* and can be seen in the following video showing the launch of a WISDOM balloon (courtesy WLOX-TV via the Northern Gulf Institute Website):

 

* Leaving NOAA websites.