As a result, up to five parameters may be visualized simultaneously. These two-dimensional variables may be any combination of surface or upper air layers from the same or different sources. The variables and techniques can be independently selected interactively. Five different surface variables have been selected in this combined visualization. Mean sea level pressure is shown as pseudo-color.
Wind velocity is illustrated as streamlines with directional arrows arrows, colored by speed.
These planar representations are deformed vertically by lifted index to create a shaded surface. Finally, temperature values at discrete locations are also shown by value on the surface. Any of the surface and upper air fields available from the model can be visualized with any of these methods. Since lifted index can be used to indicate the relative instability in the atmosphere, the peak in its surface illustrates where the front is located. This representation is very effective, especially in animation , of showing the motion of a front.