SURFACE MAPS:

Surface maps: United States, Alaska, Northern Canada, Europe, Austrailia and Antarctica. Checkout the air temperature at the South Pole. (Note: On this map temperatures are given in degrees celsius!) In the southern summer it might get up to a balmy -20 degrees F ! In the winter I have seen temperatures as low as -113 degrees F, which makes the -53 degree F temperature in central Alaska three years ago seem tropical-like!

POLAR MAPS:

Spectacular polar-view maps of surface isobars (constant pressure lines) and 500-mbar (a pressure unit) height (at roughly 15000 - 18000 ft in earth's atmosphere):

Polar-view map of 850-mbar height (roughly 5000 ft) and temperature. This map is a good indicator of average surface temperature since it is insensitive to the vagaries of diurnal heating:

Polar-view map of 300-mbar height (roughly 30000 ft) and wind-speed. This is an absolutely spectacular map that shows the location and intensity of the "jet stream" that the TV weatherman vaguely hints at but you suspect knows nothing about !!! :

PREDICTIVE MAPS:

Predictions of surface isobars, 500-mbar height and precipitation for the next 10 days using the Medium Range Forecast Model. Regardless of what you may think, these predictions are reasonably accurate! :

Predictions of the 850-mbar height (and, hence, average surface temperature) for the next 10 days using the Medium Range Forecast Model. These predictions are reasonable but not incredibly accurate!!! :

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS: