Space weather prediction is in its infancy; but interest and potential are growing fast. The analogy is to the National Weather Service 30 to 40 years ago. The new modeling capability for AFSFC is the first of a new wave of improved, more physically based, predictive models. Future numerical models will not have as severe computer limitations and promise to be able to physically couple the regions, improving temporal/spatial resolution and accuracy. The research base and an involved scientific community can be combined with the numerical models, data drivers, and the forecast centers, current and future, to provide the essential elements to synthesize a National Space Weather Service [ Siscoe et al., 1994]. Customer usage is potentially large and limited primarily by the accuracy of the product. The current and planned modeling efforts will help that aspect.
Acknowledgments. The author thanks Drs. George Siscoe and John Freeman for many helpful discussions and suggestions. The development of operational space weather models has involved many in the community, too numerous to mention. A partial list can be found in the acknowledgments in Heinemann et al. [1993].