Entry Date:
July 18, 2011

The Synoptic Laboratory


The Synoptic Laboratory is a central facility supporting teaching and research in Meteorology, Oceanography and Climate, providing access to weather related data.

The Synoptic Lab, located on the 16th floor of the Green Building, comprises a cluster of interconnected workstations, mass-store devices and a large hyperwall for the analysis and display of synoptic data. Real time meteorological observations, analyses and forecasts are received through the Internet within the IDD - the Internet Data Distribution system - managed by Unidata/UCAR. Advanced meteorological software packages, such as GEMPAK and IDV, are used to access and display the data. These facilities are integrated in to the Rotating Fluids Dynamic Laboratory.

The Synoptic Lab is also a hub for extra-curricula meteorology activities, including: the Weather and Climate Club and the MIT's Weather Forecasting Club.