From my understanding, WxSim requires data inputs from nearby weather stations in order to produce accurate forecasts. For someone who lives in the Islands where real-time weather data is pretty scant (and sometimes inaccurate), how can WxSim be best used? Are there sufficient US sources of reliable data to derive useful inputs for the system, or can I do without these inputs at all and still do well generating accurate forecasts?
Hi,
Tom Ehrensperger (WXSIM author) here…
WXSIM can work in the Carribean, though I don’t believe that’s where it would show its greatest strength. I did a customization for a Pacific Island once (Ponape), and the temperature forecasts worked quite well - but then every day is almost the same, so there was nothing dramatic to forecast.
Of course, there’s the issue of precipitation (and hurricanes!). WXSIM would be including these via imported data from the GFS model. The results would be probably no better and no worse than from the GFS itself, except for slightly more site specific temperatures.
Hope that helps!
Tom