Forecast Models

Forecast models, in layman’s terms, are what you get when you try to teach computers how to forecast weather. They’re an invaluable tool in weather forecasting, but in order to get a good forecast, you want to have a human interpreting them and knowing their flaws.
Synoptic scale:

• Rapid Update Cycle (RUC) – 0-18 hours
• GEM – 0-60 hours
• UKMET – 0-72 hours
• North American Mesoscale (NAM) – 0-84 hours
• Short Range Ensemble Forecast (SREF) – 0-87 hours
• U.S. Navy global model (NOGAPS) – 0-6 days
• European Center for Mid-Range Weather Forecasting – 0-7 days
• Global Forecast System (GFS) – 0-10 days
• Mid-Range Forecast (MRF) Ensemble – 0-16 days (scroll to GEFS)

Mesoscale:

• MM5 – SUNY Stony Brook
• Weather Research & Forecasting (WRF) – Buffalo office
• COAMPS (U.S. Navy model) – Eastern North America

Model output statistics:

• NAM – 0-60 hours
• GFS Short Range – 0-60 hours
• GFS Long Range – 0-7 days
• Mid-Range Forecast (MRF) Ensemble – 0-7 days