In 2003 WxWorx Inc. was established as an affiliate of Baron Services. Working in conjunction with XM Satellite Radio Inc., XMWX Satellite Weather was created to provide up-to-date weather information for boat owners. XMWX Satellite Weather uses the XM Radio satellites and signal quality to make specific weather-related data available to over 350 million people.

The data used in XMWX Satellite Weather comes from a number of sources including the National Weather Service, WorldWinds, Inc, U.S. Navy, and the International SeaKeepers Society. The data that WorldWinds, Inc. provides to XMWX Satellite Weather is marine weather data that, similar to its own weather product, is gathered from satellite and meteorological sources such as TOPEX, SSM/I, QuickScat, and National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). WorldWinds, Inc. processes this data through proprietary software and forecast models such as COAMPS and MM5.

In addition to marine weather data, WorldWinds, Inc. gathers and forecasts sea state conditions. Using the NCEP WaveWatch model, WorldWinds, Inc. can predict a comprehensive global wind and wave vector product that generates the following parameters: significant wave height, mean wave direction and period, peak wave direction and period, and wind wave direction and period.

Sea surface temperature (SST) data is sensed by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) AVHRR and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) MODIS satellite instruments. WorldWinds, Inc. uses proprietary software techniques to validate, error correct, and merge the SST data. The result is high resolution SST data, inclusive to 600 miles offshore the continental U.S.

WorldWinds, Inc. also downloads the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) array of marine buoy data and coastal observation station data along the U.S. coast on an hourly basis. As a consequence of the different heights of the buoy and measurement platforms, WorldWinds, Inc. normalizes the wind speed to a 10 meter height and standardizes them to a 1-minute average (the World Meteorological Organization standard).

Click here for a one page brochure about WxWorx and WorldWinds, Inc. For more information on the WxWorx service, visit their web site at www.wxworx.com. Information regarding the XMWX Satellite Weather service can be found at www.xmradio.com/weather.