AccuWeather Further Enhances Cutting-Edge Capabilities of Galileo® Weather System

Latest Enhancement Includes Ability to Update Weather Shows On-Air for the Most Up-to-the-Second Information During Severe Weather Events

(State College, PA - February 6, 2004) - AccuWeather Inc. announced today the release of Galileo 2.1, another major upgrade to the functionality of the Galileo® weather system, The New Leader in Television Weather™. In keeping with AccuWeather's goal of providing the most cutting-edge system to its clients, this is the fourth major upgrade since Galileo was released in May 2002.

Galileo's latest release continues to build on this impressive functionality and enhances the benefits already offered to users. Galileo's existing strengths have been augmented in the following areas:

- Auto-updating capability that allows for the most up-to-the-second weather information during urgent situations such as severe weather. - Additional compelling graphics capability. - User-friendly features added for even greater ease of use. - Improved performance to make the fastest system even faster.

The new capabilities are being added to an already powerful product that produces an impressive, compelling weather presentation designed to draw viewers and increase advertising revenue. Galileo is a one-box system that is based on an established Windows® Dell® PC platform for ease of use with rendering speeds that enable an entire weather presentation to be created in minutes. The system even allows users to update shows from a remote location.

New Auto-Updating Features

Through new auto-updating features, Galileo users can now offer viewers the very latest information in breaking weather situations such as in severe weather events. Galileo's new auto-updating capability uses an optional secondary Galileo system as a rendering engine. While the station's on-air talent is using the primary Galileo box to present the weather segment to viewers, another staff member can use the secondary Galileo to create graphics with up-to-the-second information. A new networking tool automatically transfers images and data with updated information from the secondary system to the primary Galileo system. This enables the user to update shows while on air, allowing stations to offer viewers the very latest information. Updates are coordinated with the flow of the weather show to ensure a smooth on-air delivery of information that is the most up-to-date in the DMA.

Additional Compelling Graphics Capability

Galileo 2.1 improves the system's already compelling look with several key enhancements. Galileo's dynamic Animations-within-Animations™ are even better with 90-frame subloops that create longer, smoother and more detailed sub-animations within a graphic. For example, to portray windy beach conditions a graphic could be created with the slow movement of waves on a beach, with a separate area of grass blowing in the breeze, and another animation of a flag waving in the wind.

Other enhancements include tools that create sharp-looking shadow effects on text and icons, new abilities to stretch graphics to allow them to better fit into forecast boxes, and a feature that leverages the already high resolution of Galileo graphics by eliminating the requirement that icons be compressed. User-Friendly Features

Galileo's ease of use is a major reason why it has established itself as a weather graphics leader in the U.S. and abroad, and Galileo 2.1 offers several features that make the system even more user friendly. The new KeyFrame Manager function enables the user to view all elements in a show's timeline, allowing users to easily make adjustments to weather show animations and also prevent errors such as jumps in text or icon movement. Another feature is a new copy and paste tool that allows users to save even more time by simply pasting text and icons onto a graphic. Additional enhancements have been included to allow users to quickly customize, add or remove elements of the weather show.

Improved Performance = Fastest System Even Faster

Already the fastest weather graphics system on the market, the new release enhances Galileo's industry leading performance still further. For example, Galileo 2.1 allows users to better manage older template session files, which slow computer performance. Removing these files frees up memory and allows the speedy Galileo to perform even better, adding to the system's value.

"Since its inception, Galileo has led the way with innovative graphics, unmatched rendering speed, and outstanding ease of use," Joel N. Myers, AccuWeather's founder and president, said. "To build on this success, we are committed to surveying our customers to enhance Galileo and allow our client stations to continue to increase viewership and raise advertising revenues with an ever-improving product."

For more information on Galileo, please contact AccuWeather at 814-235-8600 or via email at sales@accuwx.com.

About AccuWeather and AccuWeather.com

AccuWeather.com, The World's Weather Authority®, provides a portfolio of products and services through the airwaves, via the Internet, in print, and behind the scenes that benefit hundreds of millions of people worldwide. AccuWeather.com services more than 130,000 paying customers in media, business, government and institutions, and millions more through the website. AccuWeather.com also provides content onto more than 1200 Internet sites including CNN Interactiv, ABC's owned and operated stations, The Associated Press©, The Washington Post and The New York Times.

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