Modeling Forecasts

CMOP produces operational 2-day forecasts for the Columbia River estuary and plume, predicting salinity, temperature and several other factors in three dimensions. Several forecasts are produced, each optimized to accurately represent a particular scale, region or process.

Simple Forecast Tool
The simple forecast tool gives users the ability to quickly forecast the temperature and salinity at the surface of the Columbia River estuary and the Pacific Northwest coastal zone. The interface allows users to select the variables, regions and forecast times. There is also an animation of the two-day forecast.

Model Browser Interface
For more specific forecast questions, such as the position of the Columbia River saltwedge at the bottom of the North Channel, use the Model Browser Interface to view the forecast data. This tool provides more options than the typical user will need and more complex to use. Users should have some knowledge of oceanographic and cartographic methods. There are several experimental forecasts that are accessible, some of which are recognizable by their names, but the main forecasts for the estuary are DB16 and DB21. For the greater coastal region use Dev.

Rapid Deployment Forecasting System (RDFS)
RDFS is designed to facilitate the creation and implementation of new forecasts. While developing the system, visualization tools were created that continue to be used by many of our modelers -- especially for creating GIF animations of the forecast data. This tool isn't recommended for non-modelers, and is accessible only to those with special login access. If you would like to have access to the RDFS system for generating visualizations, please contact Grant Law to request an account.