National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Lala Approaching Hawaii; Flash Flooding Risks; Excessive Heat

Lala, may become a hurricane, is expected to impact Hawaii this weekend. Heavy rainfall, strong winds, dangerous surf and localized flooding are expected. Heavy rainfall and flash flooding concerns from the mid-Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley into the central Appalachians continues, with the threat shifting toward the mid-Atlantic later this weekend. Record heat continues for areas of the South. Read More >

Upper Air Observations


Decoded Upper Level Winds

Plotted Upper Air Soundings

GOES Derived Atmospheric Vertical Soundings

Alternate Sources for Upper Air Soundings
Ohio State

California Wind Profiler Data Can be Found Here

Why Do Forecasters Still Rely on Weather Balloons?

Twice every day, from nearly 100 locations in the United States, the National Weather Service launches weather balloons, carrying instrument packages called radiosondes. Radiosonde sensors measure upper-air conditions such as atmospheric pressure, temperature and humidity, wind speed and direction. The data is important for aviation safety, and meteorologists use radiosonde information to prepare weather forecasts.