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==Reason for development==
[[image:Typhoon Nabi (Jolina) JTWC's Tracking Chart (2005-09-05 1800Z).gif|thumb|350 px|ATCF image of Nabi's (2005) previous track, forecast track, along with tropical storm, storm, and hurricane-force wind radii depicted, from 18z on September 5]]
The need for a more modernized method for forecasting tropical cyclones had become apparent by the mid-1980s. At that time Department of Defense was using [[cellulose acetate|acetate]], [[grease pencilspencil]]s, and disparate computer programs to forecast tropical cyclones.<ref name="ATCF1"/> The ATCF software was developed by the [[Naval Research Laboratory]] for the [[Joint Typhoon Warning Center]] (JTWC) in [[Monterey, California]] beginning in 1986,<ref name="ATCF2">{{cite journal|journal=Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society|author=Sampson, Charles R|author2=Schrader, Ann J|title=The Automated Tropical Cyclone Forecasting System (Version 3.2)|pages=1231–1240|date=June 2000|volume=81|number=6|doi=10.1175/1520-0477(2000)081<1231:tatcfs>2.3.co;2|bibcode = 2000BAMS...81.1231S |doi-access=free}}</ref> and used since 1988.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sampson |first1=Charles R. |last2=Schrader |first2=Ann J. |date=2000 |title=The Automated Tropical Cyclone Forecasting System (Version 3.2) |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/26215160 |journal=Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society |volume=81 |issue=6 |pages=1231–1240 |doi=10.1175/1520-0477(2000)081<1231:TATCFS>2.3.CO;2 |jstor=26215160 |bibcode=2000BAMS...81.1231S |s2cid=122126725 |issn=0003-0007|doi-access=free }}</ref> During 1990s the system was adapted by the [[National Hurricane Center]] (NHC) for use at the NHC, [[National Centers for Environmental Prediction]] and the [[Central Pacific Hurricane Center]].<ref name="ATCF2"/><ref name="NHC 2">{{cite journal|author18=Tribble, Ahsha N|author1=Rappaport, Edward N|author2=Franklin, James L|author3=Avila, Lixion A|author4=Baig, Stephen R|author5=Beven II, John L|author6=Blake, Eric S|author7=Burr, Christopher A|author8=Jiing, Jiann-Gwo|author9=Juckins, Christopher A|author10=Knabb, Richard D|author11=Landsea, Christopher W|date=April 2009|author12=Mainelli, Michelle|author13=Mayfield, Max|author14=McAdie, Colin J|volume=24|issue=2|author15=Pasch, Richard J|author16=Sisko, Christopher|page=409|author17=Stewart, Stacy R|bibcode=2009WtFor..24..395R|title=Advances and Challenges at the National Hurricane Center|journal=Weather and Forecasting|doi=10.1175/2008WAF2222128.1|citeseerx=10.1.1.207.4667|s2cid=14845745 }}</ref> This provided the NHC with a [[Computer multitasking|multitasking]] software environment which allowed them to improve efficiency and cut the time required to make a forecast by 25% or 1 hour.<ref name="NHC 2"/> ATCF was originally developed for use within [[DOS]], before later being adapted to Unix and Linux.<ref name="ATCF2"/>
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==Data formats and locations in ATCF==
The "A deck" contains the official track and intensity forecast, as well as the model guidance, also known as the objective aids. The "B deck" contains the storm's track information at synoptic hours (0000, 0600, 1200, and 1800 [[UTC]]). The "F deck" contains what are known as position fixes and intensity estimates for the associated tropical cyclone, based on satellite data on the cyclone derived by the [[Dvorak technique]]. The "E deck" contains information regarding position error and probabilistic information regarding the forecast at that time.<ref name="ATCF Readme"/>
==Similar software used elsewhere==
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