Mission
The American Forces Network Weather Center produces daily weather forecasts covering 76 cities in five continents around the world for all Department of Defense members and their families stationed overseas. The shows include all the comforts of an American news weather broadcast: high and low temperatures, cloud cover and significant weather predictions for key locations, which can sometimes be a great distance from the host nation's major cities.
Key Functions
While stationed overseas, many U.S. government employees and their families have only one source for English-speaking broadcasts - the American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS). The American Forces Network Weather Center (AFNWC) was formed based on the results of an AFRTS survey distributed in 1996. The results revealed that a weather forecast presented in American English and using the Fahrenheit scale was the number one requested item. The weather center was created at the Air Force Weather Agency headquarters (now known as the 557th Weather Wing), Offutt Air Force Base, NE., in 1998 to fill this void.
AFNWC produces eight weather updates covering 76 cities, in five continents, totaling 304 forecasts daily. Some locations are in very data-sparse regions, making the forecaster's job even more challenging. AFNWC uses similar software, computers, and recording equipment to that used in commercial broadcasts centers. Shows are posted on the AFNWC website and Facebook, providing easy access anywhere in the world that has internet. The AFNWC also provides daily overseas weather forecasts for global publication in Stars and Stripes newspapers, with more than 70,000 readers.
(Current as of August 2022)