Guidelines for responsible use

First and foremost, you must abide by UCAR's Terms of Use for Websites.

This page provides some additional guidelines for responsible use. In no way does the following supersede the UCAR Terms of Use. Rather, the following is intended to provide additional guidelines to users on how to responsibly use TCGP in various contexts.

• DO NOT USE THIS SITE FOR LIFE AND DEATH DECISIONS!
• The site is called the Tropical Cyclone Guidance Project because it provides model guidance and forecast aids that are useful to forecasters. In no way is this site meant to provide "guidance" on what you should do in a tropical cyclone.
  
• ALWAYS abide by evacuation orders from your local emergency officials.
  
• This site does NOT provide any official forecast information. For official storm information including watches and warnings, rely on the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC) or Tropical Cyclone Warning Center (TCWC) that is designated to provide official warnings for your country or region. Warnings for your area may also be issued by your National Hydro Meteorological Service (NHMC).
  • In the United States, the National Hurricane Center is the designated RSMC for providing overall tropical cyclone warnings. The National Weather Service offices provide more specific warning information and forecasts for local areas.
  • In other regions, use the following resources to find your official source of warning information.
    • List of RSMCs.
    • List of TCWCs.
    • List of NHMCs.
    • For more information, please visit the WMO Severe Weather Centre.
• The plots shown on this web site show forecast aids that are derived from various numerical weather prediction models, statistical models, and other methods. These forecast aids come from multiple numerical weather prediction centers around the world, as well as from research groups, and possibly other sources. Some of the forecast aids may be EXPERIMENTAL and have little or no accuracy or skill. Even the best models are frequently prone to LARGE errors. ABSOLUTELY NO GUARANTEES are made as to the accuracy or timeliness of this data. None of the information here should be considered as official guidance!
• Although this site is designed to function in real-time, it is not maintained in a 24/7 operational environment. Outages may occur at any time and without any warning.
• This web site has been designed for tropical cyclone experts and researchers to be able to share and evaluate forecast aids in a real-time setting. If you are not an expert, you are welcome to view this site, but realize these resources are provided for informational and educational purposes only.