The Weather Office site (http://weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/canada_e.html),
which is published by the Meteorological Service of Canada, offers
weather information in text and map format for all of Canada. It
also has links out to weather sites elsewhere in the world.
The home page shows a map of Canada giving current conditions in all
parts of the country, both on land and at sea (the Arctic, Pacific and
Atlantic coasts) displaying weather icons and temperatures in degrees
celsius at all the major cities. Clicking on a city takes the
user to a regional page, which allows the user to find his own
community to get the specific forecast for his own town.
Horizontal links above the map give access to map forecasts for the
next four days.
The Weather Site is beautifully laid out to handle a large amount of
information compactly and to provide easy navigation. The maps
are lovely to look at and the weather icons understandable. Links
to text versions are offered and print versions as well.
Down the left-hand side of every page is a menu providing much more
detailed weather information. There are links to radar and
satellite images, marine and aviation forecasts, and maps showing sea
ice (relevant in the Arctic even during summer) and lightning strikes
(which are a major cause of forest fires). Seasonal forecasts are
also available for those interested in looking ahead to the next few
months.
At certain times of the year, the links to weather
watches and hurricane warnings are particularly useful. The
frequently asked questions link leads to a page of detailed information
of use to Canadians and anyone who is thinking of visiting
Canada. A separate weather site has been set up for children and
teachers and is linked in the side menu under the label “Skywatchers”;
the Skywatchers site has more pictures and bigger print, but is full of
information that even adults will enjoy.
Because Meteorological Services are part of Environment Canada, in
addition to weather information, there is also a link out to the air
quality site.
Although this site is primarily of use to Canadians, there is a great
deal of information for anyone interested in weather. Canada is
very large indeed, covering six time zones and bordered by three
oceans, so climate varies widely. The Weather Site is full of
useful information which is presented simply and attractively for the
average user, but which is supported by enough data and maps to
interest the specialist.