WXSIM Weather Simulator

	Model and forecast your local weather on your own computer!
Introduction	Sunset over the marine layer, from Mt. Tamalpais, near San Francisco, CA	User Comments
Screen Shots		News Briefs
Who uses WXSIM?		New Features and Revision History
WXSIMATE		Accuracy
Customization		History and Technical Information
WXSIMPRO		Downloads
Ordering Information		Other Stuff

Updated March 5, 2013

Automated WXSIM forecasts for Atlanta, updated three times a day, along with current conditions, are available here. Also see a list of links to users' WXSIM forecasts on the web.

Other programs by Tom Ehrensperger

Clima-Sim Climate Simulator now available for download and registration!

Click here for more information

WXSIM Version 12.9 Released!

(with WXSIMATE 5.3)

Also, introducing the new multi-site controller program WXSIMPRO.

Version 12.9, in combination with WXSIMATE 5.3, has several improvements, including compatibility with Sandaysoft's Cumulus program (though with a couple of features not active at this point) and access to a new backup source of site-specific pre-culled GFS model data. WXSIMPRO multi-site controller program. 12.8.9 introduced improved routines for learning from past forecast results (applicable to pro mode). Version 12.8.8 was a significant upgrade, including the ability to import and use soil temperature and moisture data from home weather stations. Version 12.8 introduced a new suite of agricultural data (active only in professional mode), such as soil temperature and moisture, evapotranspiration, and various heat transfer rates of interest especially to soil scientists. See New Features and Revision History to learn about these and other new features, in addition to the numerous enhancements implemented over the last few versions.

There are two 'modes' of program operation: standard and professional. Standard mode disables many or the specialized, rarely used options and tools, thus streamlining use for novices or relatively casual users. Professional mode enables all options and tools, allowing meteorologists or other experienced users to take full advantage of WXSIM's great versatility. Standard mode retains the same price WXSIM has had for a year and a half, while there is an extra charge to enable professional mode. There are also now two levels of customization: basic and enhanced. More information about these options appears under ordering options.

Other improvements to WXSIM over the last few years include:

The ability to import GFS model data for advection purposes after wind shifts.
The option to have WXSIM 'learn' from its own forecast errors.
A new quick start guide, now available on the Downloads page, which should help new users get oriented to the program much more quickly. Also, there is a tutorial on obtaining READY data (a backup for possible outages of the automated GFS data).
Use of GFS data from GRIB files processed by Chris McMahon, and WXSIMATE's ability to download this data, for both existing customers and anyone buying WXSIM for the first time - for free!

If you haven't tried the program since versions 10.x, you're in for a number of other pleasant surprises, including automated downloading and forecasting and the ability to directly compare forecasts with actual results from home weather stations. Also, see below concerning the new version, 5.1, of WXSIMATE. You can now order directly from this site. To learn what's new, see New Features and Revision History . To get it now, see the Downloads section. NOTE: installing this version will NOT overwrite versions prior to 10.0, so you can safely try it out in parallel with pre-10.0 versions (it goes in the same directory, but uses different file names).

Discussion board

See the Weather-Watch forum, operated by Chris McMahon (who also made the one of the GFS data sources mentioned above available), at http://www.weather-watch.com/smf/. This has been active for some time and there are quite a few discussions of ways to use WXSIM, as well as help with the program. Also, on WXSIM's "child" board "WXSIM Display Utilities", you can find how to post output on web pages, including translation into several foreign languages - for free! Thanks to numerous WXSIM users, including Ken True, for being so industrious as to come up with this!

Upgrade policy

Before Version 10.0, I hadn't charged an upgrade fee in at least 7 years, through over 50 steadily improving versions. Versions 10.0 and 11.0 were major upgrades, though, so if you are upgrading from a pre-10.0 version, there is a one-time fee of $49. This will get you a unique registration code which will unlock the program for use with your existing custom site; otherwise it will default to Atlanta. I will not be charging any more WXSIM upgrade fees until at least 2014.

Also, the WXSIMATE data collection tool, Version 5.3 available for download as an integral part of the WXSIM system.

WXSIMATE is a very handy and time saving tool for collecting internet data as well as home weather station data, for easy import into WXSIM. It can now be scheduled to run automatically, to collect data for WXSIM even while you're asleep, and can also now gather local station data over the internet. A brand new feature is the ability to import data from Ambient's Virtual Weather Station, as well as from Davis WeatherLink and Brian Hamilton's Weather Display. Starting with Version 4.0, WXSIMATE allows import of ozone data from KNMI/ESA (www.temis.nl/).

In the past, WXSIMATE could be considered an optional companion program to WXSIM. However, while it is still technically a separate program, it has become almost essential to WXSIM as it is most commonly used. For this reason, it is now packaged and sold with WXSIM.

To see what's new in WXSIM, see New Features and Revision History. Also see News Briefs and the WXSIMATE section of this page. For a review of (an older version of) WXSIM, or if you wish to order there by credit card, take a look at Tim Vasquez's Weather Graphics page. I now accept orders through PayPal (including a credit card option), in addition to checks or money orders.

To download Version 12.9 of WXSIM, for IBM compatibles with any Windows versions from the last decade, at least, either click here or go to the Downloads section of this page. This shareware program is exactly the same software as you have when registered (no time limits, and nothing disabled), but certain files must be customized with climatological and geographical data for your site to get full functionality. This customization (which takes me anywhere from 2 to 5 hours to complete) is a service that I perform upon receipt of your order, and I then forward the modified files to you. Note to current users: As always, you can easily upgrade from this site. After the $49 upgrade to 10.x or 11.x, upgrades will be free until at least 2013 and probably much longer. If you decide you want a new customization job, contact me at eburger@aol.com about reduced rates for re-customization.