The Rapid Refresh (RAP) is the continental-scale, hourly-updating, data assimilation and numerical modeling system run operational at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). North American RAP forecasts are complemented by hourly-updating forecasts from the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model, which are higher resolution and cover smaller geographic domains (CONUS and Alaska).
This webpage compares operational and experimental RAP/HRRR forecasts.
Please use the links on the left to navigate to RAP/HRRR forecast graphic comparisons.
Additional Information:
Although RAP/HRRR forecasts are avaliable hourly, this webpage is not "operational" and will only display a subset of the hourly RAP/HRRR forecasts made each day.
RAP forecasts initialized at 00/06/12/18Z extend out to f21.
RAP forecasts initialized at 03/09/15/21Z extend out to f39.
HRRR forecasts initialized at 00/06/12/18Z extend out to f36.
HRRR forecasts initialized at 03/09/15/21Z extend out to f18.
The official evaluation of RAPv5/HRRRv4 is scheduled for October–December 2019.
RAPv5/HRRRv4 Official Evaluation Webpage: [click here].