One social media site that is gaining more and more of my attention is WeatherUnderground.com. Some may not even consider it a social media site, but I firmly disagree. This is a social media site that has been in place from the earliest days of social media, if not before. Where two or more people are coming together online to share a common interest and to be social—it is social media. WeatherUnderground.com since its beginning has fulfilled this task.
Since 1993, WeatherUnderground.com has set out to gather data from community personal weather stations. This gathering of data contributes greatly to providing an accurate picture of the actually conditions over a large area. From these weather stations, meteorologists can receive barometer reading, wind speed readings, rain measurements, and temperatures. When these stations are placed and saturated in a certain area, the better forecasts that data can contribute to.
These personal weather station can be monitored by the users and be shared with the community. It can be discussed and used in amateur forecasting and further discussed in the community. Users of WeatherUnderground.com can post weather blogs to share their findings and opinions as well as commenting on the blogs of others. Many personal weather stations have the ability to share a webcam of the current weather that adds a personal touch to understanding the area discussed. One of my favorite ways to contribute is to provide an occasional photo, showing the conditions that I am experiencing with my iPhone app. The site also provides NWS data, radar information, and a “Wundermap” that allows me to see the entire country’s radars blended together on a map.
WeatherUnderground.com is an excellent way to enjoy learning about the weather as well as contributing to a community with a shared interest.
(Logo: Wikipedia.com)