AccuWeather www.accuweather.com
OVERVIEW:
This site seems tailor-made for the traveler on the go, with weather reports along interstates, all-in-one weather maps and forecasts catered to golf, ski or water- sports enthusiasts. Other features include 15-day forecasts and fun "world's hot spot" graphics.
Provides domestic/international forecasts.
COOL FEATURES:
As if TV weatherpeople aren't cartoonish enough, an animated weathercaster delivers the national forecast each day in local-news style . . . but not without a nod to the drug company that sponsors it. A "Weather Glossary" on the home page's left column makes sense of scientific mumbo-jumbo.
IF THERE'S A HURRICANE . . .
"Expert senior forecaster"/body builder Joe Bastardi shares his "bulldog intuition" of hurricanes -- for a price (a monthly fee of $14.95). Who needs him when you can track storms with simple position and movement maps that are updated four times daily. Learn trivia such as how the storms develop and which hurricane names have been retired.
GRIPES:
Plugs for the site's special paid services, such as its "interactive weather display system" ($380 a year for the platinum level) get tiresome.
