From a scientific point of view, this represents a quantum leap in our ability to understand earth cycles and earth systems.

292

We have to reach the same stage of advancement in all the other areas. Weather is an example where the world has been able at the political level to exchange data.

254

The advances in modeling has significantly improved, and probably is the most important increment of the advantage we have today that we didn't have 15 years ago. And I anticipate an improvement in our ability to have a great deal more accuracy in the 24- to 48-hour forecasting range.

216

For instance, we're as accurate today on a five-day forecast as we were 15 years ago on a three-day forecast. So that improvement is almost a doubling in the accuracy of forecasting.

177

Thousands of people have been lost, and [people] continue to be lost today in heavy storms. Yet our numbers are down. So the beneficial change has just been enormous.

173

It would apply to all sorts of efforts like finding energy, water, improving agricultural productivity, and understanding the connection between health and the environment. [It will give us] an enormous advance in our ability to help save lives, and revolutionize the way we deal with severe weather events today.

150

We've been able to improve our warning system. Our records on tornado warnings, hurricane warnings, on flood warnings have been improving.

147

When you look across the spectrum of benefits that could be gained from Earth-observing data, they are just enormous. Right now, 30 percent of our economy is based on information that we obtain just from today's systems. Imagine how it will be if we are able to gain a comprehensive understanding of how the Earth really works -- system by system -- and how it's connected.

118

Even though the average temperatures over the three-month winter season is forecast to be above normal in much of the country, there will still be bouts of winter weather with cold temperatures and frozen precipitation.

87