National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Severe Weather for Northeast Southeastward into the Southern Plains; Flooding in the Upper Great Lakes

Severe thunderstorms are expected from the Northeast to Texas through the night and for the Central/Southern Plains on Friday. Considerable flooding impacts are ongoing in the Upper Great Lakes, and expected to continue through the weekend. Fire weather concerns persist in the Plains and the mid-Atlantic. There is late-season snow over the Northern/Central Rockies and the Northern Plains. 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.