National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Critical Fire Weather and Severe Thunderstorm Threats This Week

Gusty winds and low relative humidity will contribute to critical fire weather Monday over parts of the central and southern High Plains. Scattered to widespread severe thunderstorms may bring damaging winds, large hail, and tornadoes Monday through Thursday over the lower Mississippi River Valley and southern Plains into the Midwest and Ohio Valley. 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.