ColorGraphics Weather Systems: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:49, 7 December 2008

Revision as of 03:00, 8 December 2008

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'''ColorGraphics Weather Systems''' is a pioneering [[computer graphics]] company that produces a series of systems for displaying [[weather forecast]] data used by television stations. Originally based on custom hardware, today their products are software-based systems running on commodity systems.

Terry Kelly graduated from the [[University of Wisconsin]]-Madison]] in 1971 with a degree in [[meteorology]] and almost immediately took a job with the local Channel 27 calculating weather predictions. Over the next two years he introduced a number of new techniques to the industry - using magnets to represent high and low points, color markers on a whiteboard for graphics, and later hand-photographing satellite cloud imagry with a Bolex camera to produce the first cloud-movement animations.<ref name=p306>Nelson, pg. 306</ref><ref name=mad>Robert Chappell, [http://www.madisonmagazine.com/article.php?section_id=918&xstate=view_story&story_id=194192 "The Liberal Media"], ''Madison Magazine'', March 2005</ref>

Kelly and several of his colleges also produced weather forecasting software. In 1974 he was promoted to chief meteorologist at Channel 27,<ref name=mad/> and at the same time started Weather Central to sell and operate their software for smaller organizations like ski resorts and local hiway departments.<ref name=p306/>