Radar to the Power of 6

[Jason McKittrick]

I know that there are some individuals here on storm track that work at SPC/NSSL. Here in Omaha we have a weather icon by the name of Jim Flowers. Last night after he gave his winter forecast he made a big announcment. He says that he now has new radar software that was developed at NSSL in the last 6 to 9 months. He said that this new software links his doppler with the radars of 5 surronding NWS offices and now allows him to view storms in "True 3d". He claims that it also contains new Tornado and hail algorithms that allow him to predict the path and intensity of tornadoes and hail cores.

I realize that it is sweeps month, but I am curious as to whether there is any truth to his claims. I understand that NSSL is continuously trying to improve its storm algorithms, but have there really been any break throughs in this technology that allow us to predict intensity. "This is unlike anything you have ever seen", or so he says. Sounds like some well polished hype to me.

 

[John Diel]

I would think that all that's happening is that the "Software" is pulling the Level II information from NOAA radars (this is publicly available for a price) and integrating it with whatever flavor of software he's currently using.

True 3D?? That's just the software compiliing all it's information. More data sources, the better the rendering. This has been available for quite some time. Usually it's done after the fact, but still it's been there.

It's probably more "One Up" on the competition more than anything else. Like most things, take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

He may have been talking about the ORDA (Open RDA) project/upgrade, which includes an upgrade to a digital signal processor. KTLX underwent this upgrade several weeks ago IIRC. There are a few pages about the ORDA project, but this one (http://www.orda.roc.noaa.gov/ ) doesn't seem to tell you much, and this one ( http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/orda/ ) hasn't been updated in a long time (or so it appears).

 

[rdale]

It sounds like WDSS-II, which integrates radar / sat / surface / upperair / etc. and does a MUCH better job at algorithms than anything available now.

http://www.wdssii.org

ORDA doesn't do anything for the end user, so it wouldn't be that. Same with Level II - yes he has to ingest L2 but L2 data does not include algorithms.

- Rob

 

[Robert Dewey]

Originally posted by rdale
It sounds like WDSS-II, which integrates radar / sat / surface / upperair / etc. and does a MUCH better job at algorithms than anything available now.

http://www.wdssii.org

ORDA doesn't do anything for the end user, so it wouldn't be that. Same with Level II - yes he has to ingest L2 but L2 data does not include algorithms.

- Rob

I thought WDSS-II was non-operational? If they are using it "live", that would make me a bit angry :wink:

 

[rdale]

"I thought WDSS-II was non-operational?"

As I recall it is available for live usage with the proper amount filled in on a check... Otherwise it is restricted to using data > 24 hours old.

- Rob

 

[Robert Dewey]

Originally posted by rdale
As I recall it is available for live usage with the proper amount filled in on a check...

Bummer :roll: :lol:

I could see compensating them for using it commercially (in a news broadcast or whatever)... But not for someone like me who uses it in their computer room with no one else around just to tinker. :lol:

 

[Jason Tunzer]

Hmmm...I don't know about him being an ICON.I haven't had the privlige of working with him....yet.Me being a spotter,the local news stations like to have us at thier weather center to get live info,yet we have 4 local stations and we only work 2 of them,and that isn't one of them. Jay

 

[Morgan Palmer]

Broadcast weather vendors Weather Central and Baron have different flavors of the same stuff. The latest versions of those systems I have seen do knock your socks off, spinning in "3D" around elevated hail cores, etc. One of those systems I have seen has elements and algorithms developed at WDT in Norman, but not by the NSSL.

I don't know what exactly he's talking about.

 

[rdale]

Again -- if he got software developed by NSSL for multi-radar integration, it is WDSS-II.

 

[David Drummond]

We got this earlier this spring at the station I chase for KCBD NewChannel 11 out of Lubbock. Combines radar from Amarillo, Lubbock, and Midland, TX. It's kinda cool actually.

 

[rdale]

You got WDSS-II, or a program from one of the TV weather vendors that displays multiple Level II feeds? Their website talks about Super Doppler HD3, but that's just a program that displays three different NEXRAD sites at once -- nothing to do with combining the data or new algorithms or the like as WDSS-II does.

 

[Morgan Palmer]

Both David's station in Lubbock and mine in East Texas use Weather Central. We are both owned by Liberty Corp, soon to become part of Raycom.

 

[Jason McKittrick]

Thanks for all the good responses. Mr. Flowers reiterated several times, "you have never seen anything like this", and "This program was just developed in the last 6-9 months at the National Severe Storms Laboratory". I suspect that it is probably the WDSS-II. I believe his station is number one in the market again this year. Although they have been in compition with the ABC station for that honor. They also seem to have pretty deep pockets based on all the other toys they sport. If it isn't WDSS-II, then one of the other stations in our market will definitly call him on it.