Camera Updates

If you've come over for the Poor Man's Mesoanalysis, please scroll down a bit! Thanks!

Otherwise, I've updated the kscambat.txt and kscampf.txt files for the WebCam Project. A few of the cameras have had lengthy downtimes. There's also a handful that haven't updated in the last week but I left them in for now in case they return soon. I'll give those cameras another week then we'll go from there.

Poor Man's Mesoanalysis for GRLevel3

What do you get with you merge SPC's mesoanalysis page with GRLevel3? I call it the "Poor Man's Mesoanalysis."

If you have the URL2File and ImageMagick programs already on your computer through my "Web Cam Project", then you're in business! If not, see my earlier post on this. You'll simply need to run a batch file that will download, convert and cut the graphics. Once that's done and you have the placefiles loaded on GRLevel3, they will show up on your display!

In a perfect world, I'd like to use SPC's "sector graphics" since they have much higher resolution . There's a problem though: the locations are always changing (dang weather anyway!) The National Sector view however doesn't change.

First, I created a folder called (big surprise) SPC in the C:\Program Files\GRLevelX\GRLevel3 directory. I run the following batch file (located in the SPC folder) to get the following 16 products from the National Sector view:

URL2File http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/mesoanalysis/s4/mcon.gif mcon.gif
URL2File http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/mesoanalysis/s4/ttd.gif ttd.gif
URL2File http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/mesoanalysis/s4/thea.gif thea.gif
URL2File http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/mesoanalysis/s4/pchg.gif pchg.gif
URL2File http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/mesoanalysis/s4/sbcp.gif sbcp.gif
URL2File http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/mesoanalysis/s4/mlcp.gif mlcp.gif
URL2File http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/mesoanalysis/s4/laps.gif laps.gif
URL2File http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/mesoanalysis/s4/dcape.gif dcape.gif
URL2File http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/mesoanalysis/s4/lfch.gif lfch.gif
URL2File http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/mesoanalysis/s4/lclh.gif lclh.gif
URL2File http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/mesoanalysis/s4/shr6.gif shr6.gif
URL2File http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/mesoanalysis/s4/srh1.gif srh1.gif
URL2File http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/mesoanalysis/s4/ehi1.gif ehi1.gif
URL2File http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/mesoanalysis/s4/ehi3.gif ehi3.gif
URL2File http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/mesoanalysis/s4/scp.gif scp.gif
URL2File http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/mesoanalysis/s4/pwtr.gif pwtr.gif

convert mcon.gif -shave 300x200 -matte mcon.png
convert ttd.gif -shave 300x200 -matte ttd.png
convert thea.gif -shave 300x200 -matte thea.png
convert pchg.gif -shave 300x200 -matte pchg.png
convert sbcp.gif -shave 300x200 -matte sbcp.png
convert mlcp.gif -shave 300x200 -matte mlcp.png
convert laps.gif -shave 300x200 -matte laps.png
convert dcape.gif -shave 300x200 -matte dcape.png
convert lfch.gif -shave 300x200 -matte lfch.png
convert lclh.gif -shave 300x200 -matte lclh.png
convert shr6.gif -shave 300x200 -matte shr6.png
convert srh1.gif -shave 300x200 -matte srh1.png
convert ehi1.gif -shave 300x200 -matte ehi1.png
convert ehi3.gif -shave 300x200 -matte ehi3.png
convert scp.gif -shave 300x200 -matte scp.png
convert pwtr.gif -shave 300x200 -matte pwtr.png

Since GRLevelX placefiles support PNG, JPG and TIF files only, I use ImageMagick to not only change the SPC GIF files to PNG but to also cut out the portion of the map I want:

























From there, I load the following placefile into GRLevel3 to display it:

;Moisture convergence from SPC

Refresh: 60
Title: Mstr Cnvg from SPC

Image: c:\Program Files\GRLevelX\GRLevel3\SPC\mcon.png
32.57435, -102.50050, 0, 1
42.80730, -103.78930, 0, 0
42.80355, -89.05626, 1, 0
32.57435, -102.50050, 0, 1
42.80355, -89.05626, 1, 0
32.52673, -90.64704, 1, 1
End:

This is what it looks like on my computer:


Here's the entire list of placefiles you'll need to make this work on your computer. You can give them any name you want.

As you can tell, these placefiles work for Kansas but include some neighboring states too. If you wish to mess with ImageMagick to change the "shave" numbers (which determines what part of the original graphic to cut out) and then mess with the lat/lon in the placefiles, please go for it! I unfortunately don't have the time to make other "sectors" for other areas of the country. My example will serve as a template for others who want to expand on my work. In addition, if you want to add more of SPC's National Sector products to this, simply look up the raw image(s) on their site.

If you're hoping my work can replace your AllisonHouse/F5Data subscription, you will be sorely disappointed! It's not even in the same league of high quality products they make! However, if you have a tight budget and want to give this a try, be my guest!

As always, if you have any comments, concerns or complaints: please let me know!