Automated Tropical Cyclone Forecasting System

ATCF remains the main piece of forecasting software used for the United States Government, including the JTWC, NHC, and Central Pacific Hurricane Center.

At that time Department of Defense was using acetate, grease pencils, and disparate computer programs to forecast tropical cyclones.

[1] The ATCF software was developed by the Naval Research Laboratory for the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) in Monterey, California beginning in 1986,[2] and used since 1988.

[2][4] This provided the NHC with a multitasking software environment which allowed them to improve efficiency and cut the time required to make a forecast by 25% or 1 hour.

[5] The "A deck" contains the official track and intensity forecast, as well as the model guidance, also known as the objective aids.

This is how forecast model tracks appear within ATCF. This example is from 2006 Ernesto 's first advisory. The NHC official forecast is light blue, while the storm's actual track is the white line over Florida .
ATCF image of Nabi's (2005) previous track, forecast track, along with tropical storm, storm, and hurricane-force wind radii depicted, from 18z on September 5