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NOAA/EPA ULTRAVIOLET INDEX /UVI/ FORECAST (U.S.)
Climate Prediction Center (CPC),
National Centers for Environmental
Prediction (NCEP),
National Weather Service (NWS)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA),
U.S. Department of Commerce
(General Audience)
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UV National Index Forecast (Australia)
Bureau of Meteorology (BoM),
Australian Government
(General Audience)
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UV Index Pages (Worldwide)
WMO UV Radiation Site
Cooperative Institute for Research
in Environmental Sciences (CIRES),
University of Colorado at Boulder (CU-Boulder)
(General Audience)
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THE OZONE LAYER & SOLAR RADIATION
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UV RADIATION & SKIN CANCER
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SOLAR RETINOPATHY & EYE DAMAGE
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PROTECTION FROM UV RADIATION
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FACTS ABOUT SOLAR RADIATION
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Our atmosphere is constantly changing. The state of the atmosphere and how
it changes is what we call weather. The immense ocean of air
in which we live has the ability to reconfigure itself quickly on many
different scales; this serves as a source of wonder, pleasure,
vexation and danger.
Because weather can influence our lives so greatly, it has become necessary
to make attempts to accurately predict it. During the last century
weather prediction grew from little more than an art into a well-recognized
discipline within the now-robust science of meteorology (the study of the
atmosphere and its components). Prediction, by its very nature, is less
than perfect; because of this imperfection and the significant effects
weather exerts on our daily lives, the weatherman has become
fodder for jokesters, skeptics and complainers. During my tenure as U.S.
Air Force meteorologist and weather forecaster, our jovial response to the
critics became, “Our forecast is guaranteed. If it fails for any
reason, we’ll give you a new one.”
The quality of weather prediction has improved dramatically over the
last 30 years. Numerical models, satellite imagery, doppler radar and
other state-of-the-art technologies have revolutionized the field of
meteorology. Nearly gone is the moniker of weatherman,
in great part because many of today’s meteorologists are women.
Forecasting the weather is still far from perfect, but great strides have
been made — especially in the arenas of severe storm prediction and
tropical meteorology. As accuracy has improved, respect has grown for
meteorologists and their role as protectors of the public interest.
Authored by Kenneth L. Anderson.
Original article published prior to 13 April 2003, updated 29 March
2004.
Follow links to the right to learn more about the ultraviolet index, eye and
skin damage that can result from solar radiation,
including cataracts and skin cancer, and sun
protection afforded by sunglasses and sunscreens.
At the left margin, Related Links address topics of interest
pertaining to solar radiation and its effects. View the
Weather & Meteorology SiteMap
for a complete list of meteorology and weather-related topics.
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