Weather Researach and Forecasting Model (WRF)

The WRF Model is a next-generation mesocale numerical weather prediction system designed to serve both operational forecasting and atmospheric research needs. It features multiple dynamical cores, a 3-dimensional variational (3DVAR) data assimilation system, and a software architecture allowing for computational parallelism and system extensibility. WRF is suitable for a broad spectrum of spatial scales ranging from meters to thousands of kilometers.

The WRF Model has been developed through a collaboration between the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and the Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) Global Systems Division (GSD), the U.S. Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA), the Naval Research Laboratory, Oklahoma University, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Real-Time Four Dimensional Data Assimilation (RTFDDA)

The Real-Time Four Dimensional Data Assimilation (RTFDDA) system is a numerical weather prediction model that was originally developed by NCAR for producing analyses of current meteorological conditions and forecasts for U.S Army test ranges. Since then, the system has been adopted by other DoD and government agencies for support of special missions and for homeland-security applications.

RTFDDA focuses its computational resources on forecasting for specific geographic areas - not the entire continent, for example. This narrow focus enables the model to resolve a greater number of meteorological features while maintaining accuracy. The forecasting system can be deployed worldwide to address threats of a human or man-made nature. In summary, the system excels at representing the details of the day-to-day weather in urban areas, as well as the extreme weather associated with hurricanes and thunderstorms.