Design and development of a Java-based graphical user interface to monitor/control a meteorological real-time forecasting system

A regional forecasting system based on the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) is being run at the CEAM Foundation. The operational model involves several processes running in the background at specified times and executing a set of systematic steps. This system is being used as a support for a heat-wave warning system, a wind forecasting system for fire warning and prevention, and for general forecasting tasks. However, it is relatively difficult to use by researchers and forecasters without sophisticated information technology (IT) skill. In this paper, we report an effort to develop a tool to facilitate the monitoring of the system. This tool is based on the client–server architecture and enables those with little IT skill to monitor/control the state of the different processes involved in the real-time simulation. This tool has been successfully used in controlling the RAMS-based applications developed at CEAM since 2006. The design and the functionality and utilities of the tool reviewed in this paper could be exported and customized to be used by other research centres and institutions who offer services based on operational atmospheric models as routine jobs (MM5, WRF, etc.), as e.g. air pollution forecasting systems, other prevention and emergency response systems, etc.