Updated Weather Models Helping the Public

The weather has many variables that can change at a moment’s notice.

And there’s an updated model that can impact us all right here in the Red River Valley.

The National Weather Service took a giant step forward last week with the announcement of a new weather forecast model.

But what exactly does a weather model do?

“Forecast models present to us the best educated guess of how science will determine how it’s going to be like over the next few days or few hours,” says KVRR Meteorologist Jason Cerjak.

And that’s exactly what it’ll do.

The new version of the Global Forecast Model or GFS will let weather forecasters zoom in and more accurately evaluate critical weather events before they occur using the power of a supercomputer.

“And so this new American model will be a bigger computer, where the Euro is lacking though is that it doesn’t do well with thunderstorms, if the American model do better with t–storms, that’ll really help us get those severe events several days out,” KVRR Chief Meteorologist Rob Kupec explains.

The increased supercomputer speed allows for short–range and climate models to start with more accurate data.

It will also be able to evaluate critical weather events before they occur such as blizzards, flooding, and tornadoes.

The further out meteorologists are able to accurately forecast, the more time people have to prepare for severe weather and a possible worst–case scenario.

“It allows people to take shelter, make appropriate plans, maybe have a plan B instead of traveling, maybe they cancel their plans. It works hand in hand with keeping people safe quite frankly,” says Cass County Emergency Manager Jim Prochniak.

With the capability of these new weather models, along with weather apps on smartphones and social media, it helps people get the most accurate information as quickly as possible.

“We encourage people whether it be through social media to make sure that they are tuned in to folks such as the media to get accurate reporting and if they have to change their plans, or seek shelter in a worst–case scenario it gives them some lead time. It gets them thinking about it,” says Prochniak.

The implementation of the new GFS model will be taking place over the next couple of years.

The new model could improve weather forecasting for years to come.