Any computer running Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, or Google Chrome will be able to view this website. However, due to the large size of our graphics files we recommend that you set your monitor resolution to at least 1280x1024 and have a reasonably fast internet connection. Users with 1024x768 monitors will still be able to access the website, but will need to use the scrollbar frequently when not using the "maximize" feature. Users with a slow internet connection, such as a dial-up modem, will find that products load very slowly.

To begin using the website, simply click on one of the tabs at the top of the web page. This will initialize the web application, and by default display surface temperature for whichever model is selected at forecast hour "12". Alternatively, you can select a product or time from the menus available on the left-hand side of the webpage.

You can select different forecast hours by either choosing them them from the "Forecast Hour" box on the left or clicking the "<<[-03]" or "[+03]>>" buttons to shift backward/forward three hours (this interval is a setting that can be changed). If the model run is currently processing, forecast hours that have completed will display in green in the Forecast Hour box and are clickable. Incomplete forecast hours display in red and are deactivated. To display a new product (such as vorticity or precipitation), browse through the animated menu on the left and click on your selection. The new product will load using the same forecast hour as the one you are currently viewing.

To switch to a different model run (we currently archive them for four days), click the "Run:" drop-down menu in the upper right-hand corner of the page. A menu will slide down and allow you to choose a different model run. Just beneath this menu is the "Settings" button, which allows you to redefine several of the website's default settings, such as the interval used to select previous and next forecast hours. To use the "maximize" feature, click the "Maximize" button just above and on the left side of the map display. This will switch the website to a stripped-down state that allows data images to fit onto the screen of smaller monitors. However, you cannot switch to a new product while using this feature. In order to switch products, click the "Unmaximize" button to return to the main page.

To view forecast soundings, click anywhere on any model forecast image. Our grid contains well over 10,000 points--approximately one per county in the Plains states. Clicking on a map will select the gridpoint nearest to your mouse click and display that gridpoint's forecast sounding and hodograph, as well as a Google Maps box displaying the location of the gridpoint in question. A text view is also available, and can be selected by clicking the "View Text Sounding" toggle above the skew-T and to the right side. Also next to this button are "Show Basemap" and "Return to Product" options for easy access to a new data point.

We hope you enjoy using TwisterData.com, and we look forward to adding new products in the future.