The most authoritative global weather forecasting service, the World Weather Information Service, has been upgraded and revamped to be even more user-friendly. The service, based on the collaboration of 133 international meteorological services, offers forecasts for 1,719 global cities in 10 languages. The new site has a user-customized home page, is integrated with GIS, and is mobile-friendly.
According to WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud, “The World Weather Information Service is the authoritative 
source of official forecasts from around the globe. It is an excellent example of international collaboration between meteorological services to better serve the public worldwide. National weather services operate standardized weather observing networks and follow the most rigorous forecasting procedures.b design will ensure that the weather information will be available in a more user-friendly manner.
“A five-day forecast today is as accurate as a two-day forecast 25 years ago thanks to cutting-edge science and powerful super computers. Meteorological services are constantly improving the lead-time and reliability of their predictions. The new web design will ensure that the weather information will be available in a more user-friendly manner.”
The updated service has a new interface and is integrated with the latest web technology, such as Geographical Information Systems (GIS). The site offers a user-customized homepage, a favorites list of cities, a sharing tool and news.
The service receives over 12 million views per month. It was launched in 2002, and has received a total of 1.3 billion user views, including a record high of 173 million last year.
By Day Blakely Donaldson