About the 5-Day QPF and
Mean Temperature Forecasts

Issuance Times


Product Time
Day 1-5 Total QPF (Daylight Time) 1100/2300 UTC
Day 1-5 Total QPF (Standard Time) 1200/0000 UTC
Day 1-5 Mean Temperatures 0915 UTC
Day 3-7 Mean Temperatures 1815 UTC


About These Products


The 5-day total quantitative precipitation forecast (QPF) is created by adding WPC's 6-hour QPFs for Days 1-3 (a total of 12 6-hour periods) to a 48-hour forecast for Days 4-5 prepared by our medium-range forecasters. This forecast is issued twice per day, once at 7:00 AM EDT/EST (11Z/12Z) and again at 7:00 PM EST/EDT (23Z/00Z).

Both forecasts are valid from the beginning of Day 1 through the end of Day 5, with the later issuance offset by 12 hours. For example, a forecast prepared at 7:00 AM EDT/EST September 2, 2004 would be valid for the 120 hour period from 12Z September 2, 2004 through 12Z September 7, 2004. The forecast prepared at 7:00 PM EST/EDT September 2, 2004 would be valid from 00Z September 3, 2004 through 00Z September 8, 2004.

The day 1-5 mean minimum and maximum temperature forecasts are automated products that are based entirely on the GFS Model Output Statistics (MOS) guidance.

The day 3-7 mean minimum and maximum temperature forecasts are created only using WPC medium-range forecast guidance.