GRLevel3 - To Smooth or Not to Smooth...

[Jim Hunt]

That is the question. I wonder if the use of smoothing sometimes hides tiny details. Such as very small but powerful hook echoes. Thoughts?

 

[John Diel]

I routinely smooth the reflectivity info. If there's a feature like that and I need to know about it, then I will see it in the Velocity products that I don't smooth. Relying on a single view to see something so small that smoothing would wash it out, well, it's probably short lived to begin with.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

I don't smooth velocity, and I usually do smooth reflectivity. I believe Mike (developer of GRx) actually likes to call it "interpolation" rather than "smoothing". In any case, I think smoothing can actually bring out features that you wouldn't see easily otherwise. For example, I think it can actually make hook echoes EASIER to see sometimes.

 

[Joey Ketcham]

I also smooth while looking at reflectivity, and I'm in agreement with what Jeff says about it bringing out features better.

 

[Scott Olson]

The technique that Mike uses does seem to bring out features better in most instances and usually doesn't hide tiny details. Overall it brings out inflow notches/WER's, hook echoes out well.

 

[cedwards]

I am having a problem with smoothing. I have seen some great screen shots from other people. When I use smoothing, it makes it look horrible. It outlines everything and doesn't bring out any detail. it doesn't look anything like screen shots from other people.

 

[Tony Laubach]

I may just be a dumb***, but I cannot even find it (I just downloaded it a few dys ago, so I'm still figuring everything out). LOL

 

[Jeff Snyder]

I am having a problem with smoothing. I have seen some great screen shots from other people. When I use smoothing, it makes it look horrible. It outlines everything and doesn't bring out any detail. it doesn't look anything like screen shots from other people.

Have you tried to force 16-bit smoothing? File >> Device Setting... >> Enable 16bit smoothing. See if that fixes it. Otherwise, make sure you have the latest video drivers. Make a screenshot, and post it over on the GR owners forum.

The smoothing option is on the right side, between Warnings: and Product Details: boxes. I don't like velocity smoothing, so I make sure that View >> Smooth Velocity is unchecked.

 

[Tony Laubach]

The setting is greyed out... I'll take it over to the GRLevelx forums.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

The setting is greyed out... I'll take it over to the GRLevelx forums.

If it's greyed out, that usually means your hardware can't support it. You should try to do the 16bit smoothing. I can't imagine many computers sold in the past couple of years wouldn't be able to smooth.

 

[Tony Laubach]

If it's greyed out, that usually means your hardware can't support it. You should try to do the 16bit smoothing. I can't imagine many computers sold in the past couple of years wouldn't be able to smooth.

I would agree... ah well. Not sure what the deal is. The computer more than a few years old, so it may be right on the edge of that. I'll survive I think! LOL

 

[B Ozanne]

That is the question. I wonder if the use of smoothing sometimes hides tiny details. Such as very small but powerful hook echoes. Thoughts?

The last time I looked at the clouds they didn't have any square edges. I think interpolation is a good term and smoothing is much more representative of what the storm really looks like.

 

[cedwards]

16bit seems to solve MY problem. (Not much to go on today.)
Here is an example of the results I am getting from what little reflectivity there is out there today.

 

[Zac Flamig]

The last time I looked at the clouds they didn't have any square edges. I think interpolation is a good term and smoothing is much more representative of what the storm really looks like.

Keep in mind however that the radar isn't trying the draw a picture of the storm. What happens when you get things like a TBS spike and you try to analyze it as part of the storm?

Also note that the level 3 data has already been "smoothed" to some extent. I can't speak directly for the level 2 data but I suspect that the same is probably also true there.

So smoothing is nice for when you want to show off a storm with just a quick glance, but I don't see much use to it if you really want to examine a storm.

 

[cedwards]

I don't see any debate here. The check box is easily accessable and can be toggled back and forth. It is a personal choice. If you like smoothing fine, if not fine. I liek to toggle back and forth that way I get both views.