Quick links: Full Size Screen shot |  Download FreeWare version
 

Experimental Browser for NWS RADAR ("NWS RADAR Browser")

This page describes an experimental WSR-88D RADAR Browser designed to do several things including compensate for the difficulties some people (like me) have in perceiving the slight color differences that exist with the closely-matched colors used on the NWS-produced "Base Reflectivity" RADAR gif-file image. Currently this browser will only 'surf' to the four NWS RADAR sites in and around the DFW area.
 

Click here to see full size screen. Meanwhile here is a shrunken depiction of what is looks like:

Screen capture of NWS RADAR Browser

Download a working freeware version here.

Features

Two important functions are associated with the cursor - an Alert function and a Reflectivity function (known also as 'Cursor Alert' and 'Cursor Reflectivity level' respectively):

1) Cursor 'Alert' feature:

  • A user selectable, level-setting that gives an audible indication (a 'ding') when the dBZ threshold is exceeded as the cursor is passed over precip area
  • Allows easy identification of small, intense embedded precipitation in areas often missed during visual-only inspection
  • Also assists those individuals with color perception impairments (color-blindness) in identifying some of the more closely color-coded areas on a NWS NEXRAD (WSR-88D) Reflectivity plot


2) Cursor 'Reflectivity' Level feature:

  • Lends a new dimension in precip identification by yielding 'quantifying numbers' as opposed to ambiguous terms like 'heavy precipitation'
  • Allows authoritative 'call-out' (no guessing involved) of areas of heavy precipitation and embedded and potentially damaging large hail.

Operation

Currently, only a version for the Dallas-Ft. Worth and vicinity has been released.

One of four NWS WSR-88D RADAR sites may be randomly selected for fetching  for display from the NWS web server using the 'Get' button. The four sites hard-coded for selection currently are
 

  • FWS (Dallas/Ft. Worth - located at Fort Worth's "Spinks Field" south of Ft. Worth in southern Tarrant county)
  • FDR  (Frederick, Oklahoma/Altus AFB - NW of Wichita Falls, TX)
  • DYX  (Abilene/Dyess AFB - W of Dallas/Ft. Worth)
  • SHV  (Shreveport, Louisiana - E of Dallas).


Once a site is selected and the image downloaded a new site may be selected using 'Get' - the old image from a previous 'Get' may be recalled by clicking on the  'Show' button.

Operation should really be rather intuitive - WYSIWYG functionality at it's finest ...

Radar Browser File Dependencies

Testing has revealed that this Radar Browser has one notable 'code' dependency (IOW, not all PCs have a required software component loaded on them!):

1) The Microsoft  "Internet ActiveX Control" named "msinet.ocx". This ActiveX Control is normally located in the c:\windows\system directory (full pathname "c:\windows\system\msinet.ocx") on a Win 9x PC. Here is a link to a zipped version.

Loading/prepping msinet.ocx:

  • After unzipping msinet.ocx into the c:\windows\system directory (or as appropriate for other OS's)
  • execute "regsvr32 msinet.ocx" from the "Start | Run" menu.
2) The "ding.wav" file that should exist on the target machine in the c:\windows\media directory  (full pathname: "C:\windows\media\ding.wav"). If your machine is missing a copy of this file one is available here on this web site. Save the file in the c:\windows\media directory when directed (or right-click on the file name and save it). If the "media" directory does not exist under the c:\windows directory then create it using Explore (right-click "Start" and select "Explore" to start "Explore" - the directory file manager).
 

Recommended Accessories

Here is a little 'gem' of a program I found - it's a 'magnifier' (magnifying glass) that is centered around the cursor and is good for editing/inspecting pixels in a graphic editor -OR- for examining small-sized details such as seen on NWS RADAR imagery!

Magical Glass web site

Preparations for use:

  • Unzip the file magg.zip file into a temporary directory. (I have a directory named "c:\sw_download" in which I create subdirectories named for software like Magnifier into which I place the downloaded files as well as their 'unzipped' counter parts - usually I place the unzipped counterparts into further subdirectories.)
  • Execute the now-unzipped self-install program "MagicalGlassSetap.exe" program and it will self-install. 
  • An entry at the bottom of your "Start | Programs" menu called "Magical Glass" will be created.
Instructions for use:
  • Select Magical Glass from the Start menu
  • - it will then 'show up' in the background as an icon in your tooltray.
  • Left click this item in the tooltray,
  • select Show/Hide (a 'toggling' function) and
  • the magnifier cursor is activated.
  • Repeat to deselect ...


System requirements:

  • Windows 95-XP operating system.
  • Video Card DirectDraw ( Overlay ) compatible.
  • In this version, one screen monitor is supported only.