Ingalls Weather

Weather and science reports with a Pacific Northwest focus.

Blog: https://ingallswx.com/

Last Notes

2025-03-21 17:42:14 UTC

##
¿Son realmente tan ventosas las Tri-Cities? Depende de tu perspectiva*This article is available in English at [this link](https://ingallswx.com/2024/05/28/are-the-tri-cities-really-that-windy-it-depends-on-your-perspective/ ).*
Las personas que viven en las Tri-Cities (Kennewick, Pasco, Richland) suelen hablar del viento. A menudo, es para quejarse de lo ventosa que parece ser la zona. Las Tri-Cities ciertamente pueden experimentar fuertes vientos durante tormentas regionales, pero ¿cuánta de esta percepción se debe a sesgos de confirmación y de recencia durante dichas tormentas?
Naturalmente, la velocidad del viento varía en toda el área de las Tri-Cities. Las cimas de las colinas, los campos abiertos fuera de la ciudad y las zonas a lo largo del río Columbia experimentan vientos más fuertes porque hay menos obstáculos que bloqueen el movimiento del aire. También hay muchos días en los que las Tri-Cities experimentan poco o nada de viento.
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Este artículo analiza las condiciones promedio generalizadas para las Tri-Cities en su conjunto. Cabe destacar que las personas que viven en lugares como Canyon Lakes probablemente verán vientos más fuertes que quienes están dentro del Richland Bypass.###
**Perspectiva del Noroeste**Comparación de vientos promedio en ciudades seleccionadas del Noroeste. (WeatherSpark)Los habitantes de las Tri-Cities viven en el área metropolitana más ventosa entre las ciudades medianas y grandes del Noroeste del Pacífico. Solo Bend se acerca a lo que experimenta la zona, con vientos promedio en Bend que superan los de las Tri-Cities en diciembre, enero y principios de febrero.
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El perfil de velocidades de viento en Spokane sigue de cerca el de las Tri-Cities, aunque con velocidades aproximadamente 1.5 mph (2.5 km/h) más bajas durante todo el año. Seattle y Eugene son las menos ventosas de este grupo.
Las comunidades más pequeñas en y cerca de los principales pasos montañosos del Noroeste del Pacífico son más ventosas que las Tri-Cities. A pesar de estar a solo media hora en coche al sur de Kennewick, Hermiston es notablemente más ventosa porque está más directamente en la trayectoria del viento que atraviesa el desfiladero del río Columbia.###
**Comparaciones a nivel nacional**Comparación de vientos promedio entre Kennewick y las cinco áreas metropolitanas más grandes de los Estados Unidos. (WeatherSpark)Sin embargo, solo en el Noroeste del Pacífico destaca el viento de las Tri-Cities. Veamos primero las cinco áreas metropolitanas más grandes de los Estados Unidos (Nueva York, Los Ángeles, Chicago, Dallas y Houston).
De este grupo, solo Los Ángeles experimenta menos viento que las Tri-Cities. Houston y Nueva York ven cómo sus vientos promedio caen por debajo de los de las Tri-Cities en verano, pero lo compensan con vientos más fuertes durante el resto del año. Por supuesto, Houston también experimenta huracanes ocasionales.
Chicago se gana su apodo de “La Ciudad de los Vientos”. Su mes más calmado es julio, con una velocidad promedio de 8.7 mph (14.0 km/h), superior incluso a los meses más ventosos de las Tri-Cities: marzo, abril y junio, con 8.1 mph (13.0 km/h).
Comparación de las velocidades medias del viento en Kennewick y algunas ciudades seleccionadas de los High Plains. (WeatherSpark)La parte más ventosa del interior de los Estados Unidos contiguos se encuentra en los High Plains, justo al este de los Rocky Mountains. El este de Wyoming es especialmente ventoso, algo que los viajeros frecuentes de la I-25 y la I-80 al este de Laramie conocen muy bien.
El terreno relativamente plano de esta región, combinado con la profundización de los sistemas de baja presión en el lado sotavento de los Rockies, genera vientos fuertes a medida que estas perturbaciones se desplazan hacia el este a través de América del Norte. Alguien que se encuentre al aire libre en las High Plains probablemente sentirá una ligera brisa incluso en ausencia de un sistema de baja presión intenso.
Las tormentas de viento son más frecuentes y más intensas en las High Plains. Entre 2010 y 2019, el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional emitió un promedio de dos advertencias de vientos fuertes por año para Tri-Cities. En comparación, la Cordillera Frontal de Colorado recibió alrededor de seis advertencias anuales, mientras que en algunas partes del sureste de Wyoming se emitieron más de 30.###
**Causas del viento en el C**olumbia BasinGráfico que muestra la frecuencia relativa de la dirección y velocidad del viento en el Aeropuerto de las Tri-Cities. (Iowa Environmental Mesonet)En el nivel más básico, el viento es causado por diferencias en la presión del aire, moviéndose de regiones de alta presión hacia regiones de baja presión. Este viento es canalizado por el relieve regional, como las Cascades, el río Columbia e incluso los Rockies. La magnitud de la diferencia de presión entre dos ubicaciones se llama gradiente de presión.
Los vientos del oeste y suroeste que atraviesan los pasos de las Cascade dominan el patrón de viento en la Columbia Basin. Casi el 64% de las observaciones horarias en el aeropuerto de las Tri-Cities en Pasco registraron vientos con un componente occidental, incluyendo el 95% de las observaciones cuando el viento sostenido superaba las 40 mph (64 km/h).
Para visualizar cómo el aire atraviesa las Cascade, imagina una compuerta abierta en un canal de riego. Las paredes de hormigón se extienden hacia adentro desde el borde, pero una abertura en el centro permite que el agua pase. El nivel del agua es más alto detrás de la compuerta que delante de ella. El agua se acelera y se vuelve más turbulenta al pasar por la compuerta antes de calmarse más adelante.
En esta analogía, el desfiladero del río Columbia y Snoqualmie Pass son compuertas de agua, y las Montañas Cascade son las paredes de hormigón. La alta presión a menudo se acumula detrás de los sistemas regionales, como los frentes fríos, formando el “agua” detrás de la compuerta. Las Cascade actúan como una barrera formidable para la alta presión entrante, generando vientos fuertes a través de los pasos montañosos.###
**El viento como peligro meteorológico**Aunque las Tri-Cities pueden no ser tan ventosas como muchos otros lugares en los Estados Unidos, el viento sigue siendo un peligro significativo. Es la causa meteorológica más común de muertes en el área de advertencia de la oficina del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional en Pendleton, que incluye la Columbia Basin.
Además del polvo, los vientos fuertes pueden levantar objetos sueltos. Ejemplos notorios en las Tri-Cities incluyen trampolines voladores y enormes acumulaciones de plantas rodadoras. Una brisa moderada, altas temperaturas y baja humedad relativa combinadas crean un riesgo significativo de incendios.
El criterio para una advertencia de vientos fuertes varía de un lugar a otro, pero generalmente se emiten cuando los vientos sostenidos están entre 40 y 73 mph (64-117 km/h) o cuando hay ráfagas más fuertes.
#clima #orwx #TriCities #wawx
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2024-12-05 21:50:43 UTC

##
Thursday’s tsunami warning highlights confusion that comes with some NWS alertsAt 10:44 Pacific Time Thursday, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off the coast of Northern California near Eureka. The strength of this earthquake prompted the National Tsunami Warning Center to issue a tsunami warning for a large area of the Pacific Coast of California and Oregon, including San Francisco.
Initial alerts regarding the earthquake and potential tsunami went out quickly with many people able to take action. Evacuation orders were issued in some San Francisco Bay Area neighborhoods and boaters along the coast took their vessels out to open water to mitigate damage risk.
> *Ingalls Weather thanks the support it gets from donors. Please consider making a small donation *> [> at this link](https://ingallswx.com/donate/ )> * to help me pay for the website and access to premium weather data.*
Thankfully, no damaging tsunami was observed and the warning was lifted at 11:54 Pacific Time. Significant confusion about whether or not a warning was in place arose about a half hour before this, however, and it was completely avoidable.
At 11:27 Pacific Time, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an update to their tsunami information statement. Part of this message read:<code>* THERE IS NO LONGER A TSUNAMI THREAT FROM THIS EARTHQUAKE.</code>
This was quickly picked up on social media with people understandably posting that the tsunami warning had been cancelled and the risk was gone. The problem was this was issued by the tsunami warning center in Hawaii and not the one in Alaska.
The National Weather Service operates two tsunami warning centers – one in Honolulu, Hawaii and the other in Palmer, Alaska. The Alaska office is named the *National Tsunami Warning Center* while the Hawaii one is named the *Pacific Tsunami Warning Center*. To avoid confusion, I will refer to these by the state they are in for this remainder of post.
The Alaska center is responsible for warning about tsunamis in Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California. They also handle warnings for U.S. and Canadian shorelines along the Atlantic. Meanwhile, the Hawaii center is responsible for warning U.S. interests in the Pacific except for the West Coast. They also serve an advisory role for other Pacific rim nations.
When the Hawaii center stated there was no longer a tsunami threat, they were referring to there being no threat for their area of responsibility. In fact, the Hawaii center never issued a tsunami watch, warning, or advisory for this event.
The confusion in this notice was created by the Hawaii center not making it clear that they are not responsible for California and Oregon. The following text is provided at the bottom of their alert message, but it isn’t enough:<code> * COASTAL REGIONS OF HAWAII... AMERICAN SAMOA... GUAM... AND CNMI SHOULD REFER TO PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER MESSAGES SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE PLACES THAT CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.TSUNAMI.GOV. * COASTAL REGIONS OF CALIFORNIA... OREGON... WASHINGTON... BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA SHOULD ONLY REFER TO U.S. NATIONAL TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER MESSAGES THAT CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.TSUNAMI.GOV.</code>
Shoving this to the bottom is not enough to give general readers notice that they aren’t talking about California or Oregon. Furthermore, the two centers share the same website and with the exception of one word have the same name.
The general public does not have much exposure to the National Weather Service’s tsunami warning centers and should not be expected to know this administrative nuance during a potential emergency.
Text stating that the message does not include California or Oregon should have been placed adjacent to the notice, not several lines beneath it. For half an hour between the Hawaii office’s notice and the Alaska office cancelling the warning social media was beginning to be filled with people quoting the line “there is no longer a tsunami threat from this earthquake.”
There was no damaging tsunami so this did not cause any issues, but had there been a tsunami and people were deciding to return to the hazard zone because of the Hawaii office’s message this would have been a significant problem.
It is kind of surprising to me that the alert is laid out this way. The National Weather Service generally does a good job of collaborating between offices. During severe weather events local offices communicate with national centers and each other to present a unified message.
This is not a piece meant to slander the people working to issue these alerts, but rather a call for meteorologists and others in the “hot seat” to remember that the general public doesn’t necessarily know or care about the difference between a local forecast office, regional centers, and national centers.
It is true that people should seek information from official sources during a potential emergency. With that said, the people at those official sources should also recognize the reality of how information spreads.
Adding one line of text would have completely avoided the confusion. If necessary, the software the National Weather Service uses should be updated but until then scientists issuing critical warnings should keep the public in mind.
A tsunami alert sent to an iPhone. (Provided by @npub15ea…h2ds)Further issues stem from how tsunami alerts (and weather alerts in general) are disseminated. The system the U.S. government uses to blast cell phones with weather and other geophysical alerts continues to send text messages based on county which creates an unnecessary false alarm effect.
Under the tsunami warning, this led to alerts being sent to phones at long distances from the hazard zone because of how large many counties are in the Western United States. One of the warned counties extends from the coast to the Cascades of Oregon, a distance of 115 miles (185 km).
Of course, the tsunami warning was only for [coastal zones](https://ingallswx.com/2022/02/17/faq-why-do-weather-alerts-often-stop-at-state-or-county-lines/ ). People inland like this don’t need to be receiving emergency text message for coastal hazards.
The false alarm problem is not limited to tsunami messaging. When I lived in St. Anthony, Idaho, our county was about 60 miles (100 km) long from end to end. On the rare occasion that a tornado warning was issued anywhere in the county, we would get an emergency text message despite having never been placed in a tornado warning the whole time we lived there.
I knew, as a student meteorologist, to see what part of the county the tornado warning was for. Many other people also know to do this, but many people don’t. Like the issue with the two different tsunami warning centers, weather alerts should accommodate the understanding of the general population. We can’t expect to be understood by everyone but this feels like “low hanging fruit” for improvement.
Events like the earthquake and associated tsunami warning where there were no tsunami related deaths or damage are perfect opportunities to improve the system. Small changes can be made to the alert messages to avoid confusion in the future.
The issue with text alerts is admittedly a harder problem to solve. There are ways it can be fixed, though. One idea would be to only text out alerts to phones connected to cell towers inside or within five miles (8 km) of the alert area. The technology is there to do this. Some Midwestern counties utilize a similar method to determine what tornado sirens to activate during severe weather.
The tsunami warning centers and the text message emergency alerting system are critical, lifesaving infrastructure. The people who build and operate these systems do important work. These systems should be maintained but also improved to maximize efficiency and minimize confusion.
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*The featured image is a tsunami evacuation sign in Seaside, Oregon. (M.O. Stevens/Wikimedia)*
#Earthquake #NWS #sfba #tsunami
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2024-10-31 18:17:26 UTC

Many home weather stations are internet connected in some form. One popular method of getting a weather station online is to run it through WeatherUnderground. A lot of internet connected stations on the market in North America have a built-in ability to connect to that service.
Others push data to the manufacture’s internet-based service. In either case, the data is usually only publicly available on one or two platforms. This limits the owner’s ability to look at and share the data.
> *Ingalls Weather thanks the support it gets from donors. Please consider making a small donation *> [> at this link](https://ingallswx.com/donate/ )> * to help me pay for the website and access to premium weather data.*
GitHub user leoherzog created a script to automatically pull weather station data from one source to put it into another. Before I get into how to use this, I want to note that I am not very tech savvy at all.
Most things on GitHub are well beyond my abilities to use, but this one was wildly simple even for me. This is the first time I successfully used something I found on GitHub.
The script is called Wunderground Station Forwarder and can be found at [this link](https://github.com/leoherzog/WundergroundStationForwarder ). Despite the name, it can pull from multiple sources and forward to multiple sources:<thead><tr><th class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Sources</th><th class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Receivers</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">WeatherUnderground</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">WeatherUnderground</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">MyAcurite</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">windy.com</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Davis WeatherLink</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Aeris PWSWeather</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">WeatherFlow Tempest</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">WeatherCloud</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Ambient Weather</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">OpenWeatherMap</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">NOAA CWOP</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">NOAA CWOP</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Custom RTL_433 JSON</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">WindGuru</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">——</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">MET (UK) WOW</td></tr></tbody>
Even though this script can send to multiple sources, I generally recommend only setting it up to send to NOAA CWOP. CWOP, or the Citizen Weather Observer Program, is the system to get weather stations publicly visible on US National Weather Service websites. Placing it on CWOP also makes it visible on other websites in the receivers list, including Windy (seen in the featured image).
My good friend [Joey Only](https://www.youtube.com/@JoeyOnly ) up in Wells, British Columbia recently had a weather station donated to him. Since I don’t have my own, I asked if he would be willing to be my guinea pig for using this script.
Joey’s weather station is set up to send data to WeatherUnderground. We have successfully set up the script to send from WeatherUnderground to CWOP. This tutorial will cover doing that because that’s how I did it, but the instructions are pretty similar to pull from other sources.###
Script setupScreenshot of the copied script in a new Google Script project. (Google)The GitHub script is meant to be copied and pasted into a new project in Google Scripts found at [this link](https://script.google.com/ ) using the user’s Google login. I did this on a desktop computer and don’t know how well it would work on mobile.
From there, just create a new project and copy the code over from GitHub into the new project’s Code.gs file. The result should look like the screenshot above.####
Configure receiving dataThe code updated to pull from IBM/WeatherUnderground with Joey’s API key and station ID redacted. (Google)Since we pulled Joey’s station data from WeatherUnderground, we changed line 10 to:<code>const datasource = 'ibm'</code>
This tells the script that it will be looking for the WeatherUnderground API key and station ID from lines 12 and 13. For other sources, use the relevant identifier provided in the comment (gray text) in line 10. Some take a login, others take an API. The necessary data for your source can be found in one of the sections contained in lines 12 to 34.
All WeatherUnderground users who send data to their service can get an API key from them for free that is compatible with this script. You can do this following the instructions [at this link](https://www.wunderground.com/member/api-keys ). Once you have the key, copy and paste it between the quotes in line 12 and paste your individual station ID between the quotes in line 13.
Your station’s latitude, longitude, and elevation are part of the data that comes over from the source. There is no need to put that into the script unless you are pulling from a custom JSON feed.
The script can only pull data from one source at a time.###
Configure sending dataThe sending data section of the script with changes made to lines 67 and 68. Joey’s CWOP ID is partially omitted. (Google)Next we tell the script where we want to send the data to. As noted above, I opted to only send this data to CWOP because many of the other sources included pull from CWOP. Joey was especially interested in Windy, which is one of the ones that uses CWOP among other sites.
We changed line 67 so the script knows we want to send to CWOP’s system so that it says:<code>const updateCWOP = true;</code>
Next we needed to acquire a CWOP site ID. To do this, register at [this NOAA link](https://madis.ncep.noaa.gov/cwop_signup.shtml ). These registrations are reviewed by a human so it can take a few hours to a couple days to get your site ID. Once you have it, update line 68 to have your six-character (two letters, four numbers) station ID within the quotes.
I don’t really know what line 69 does. I didn’t change it from null and the script is working fine.
The email from CWOP giving you your station ID will also instruct you to email them back once your data is flowing into their system to confirm the location is accurate and that it looks like it is flowing smoothly. After that, they will enter it into the database and it will begin appearing on weather maps like the [Synoptic Data Viewer](https://viewer.synopticdata.com/ ).
The script can send to multiple recipients at once, though I recommend starting with CWOP and if you want to add more about a week after it is published on CWOP you can revisit it to see what’s missing.###
Send data and confirm it is correctThe Executions page showing the action the script is taking to acquire Joey’s data and send it to CWOP. (Google)Once you have followed the steps above, click the **▷ Run** button at the top and it should be all set. From there, open the left sidebar and click **Executions**. This is the page where you will see the actions the script is taking. It will start blank or with one or two lines, but it will fill up over time.
The script pulls from Weather Underground every minute and pushes out to CWOP every five minutes.
Next we want to confirm the data is making it to CWOP. Since it won’t be on any weather maps until you confirm the location by email, I think the best way to do this is wait for about ten minutes after clicking run and then heading over to [aprs.fi](https://aprs.fi ).
APRS is a ham radio tool for tracking stations and sending messages. CWOP originally started through this system and has since expanded to include internet-only stations.
[](https://aprs.fi )The aprs.fi page showing Joey’s station location and current weather conditions. (aprs.fi)On the top right side of [aprs.fi](https://aprs.fi ), enter your CWOP site ID into the **Track callsign** section and click **search**. It should move the map to your station location and present your latest weather conditions. Zoom in to ensure the location is reasonably accurate, if it isn’t you will need to fix it on the original source.
On aprs.fi, you can also click **show weather charts** to see more detailed data on what the system is receiving from your weather station. You can also confirm your station’s location and configuration using the info in the email from CWOP but I prefer this site. Once you have confirmed this, don’t forget to email back the people at CWOP.###
Seeing your data on weather mapsA map showing temperatures at various weather stations in the B.C. Cariboo region with Joey’s station circled. (Synoptic)It will take time for your weather data to get to weather maps that pull from CWOP. A human updates their database once a week. From there it takes time for services pulling from CWOP to update their maps.
When we set up Joey’s station in October 2024 it took a couple hours after it was put into the database to reach the Synoptic Data Viewer (screenshot above). It took the same amount of time to get to the National Weather Service Weather and Hazards Viewer but it didn’t reach Windy until the next day.
Because the Google Script runs continuously on Google’s cloud, you don’t need to be running your own computer 24/7 for it to work.
If you are looking for a weather station to buy for your home, I recommend the Tempest Weather System. It is simple to set up and maintain with no moving parts and good accuracy. You can head over to their store at [this link](https://shop.tempest.earth/?ref=ingalls ) and get 10% off using the code **WEATHER10** at checkout.<a href="#8d4fe299-f410-4b24-848a-f9fb90c4c573" id="8d4fe299-f410-4b24-848a-f9fb90c4c573-link">1</a>
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*The featured image is the National Weather Service display of data it is receiving from Joey’s weather station via the script. (NOAA)*<li id="8d4fe299-f410-4b24-848a-f9fb90c4c573">Note that I get a small commission from Tempest purchases using my link and/or the coupon code WEATHER10. That said, I would not have joined their program if I didn’t like the product. <a href="#8d4fe299-f410-4b24-848a-f9fb90c4c573-link">↩︎</a></li>
https://ingallswx.com/2024/10/31/simple-guide-to-forward-your-weather-station-data-to-multiple-sites-online/
#GitHub #Weather
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2024-10-08 20:02:20 UTC

Weather apps are often seen as the bane of a meteorologist’s existence but I don’t think this necessarily needs to be the case. There are a lot of good apps out there for both iOS and Android that provide useful information at a quick glance.
I use several weather apps myself depending on what information I am looking for. Below are five weather apps (in no particular order), plus one earthquake app, that I like to use on a regular basis. There are plenty of other useful apps out there as well.
> *Ingalls Weather thanks the support it gets from donors. Please consider making a small donation *> [> at this link](https://ingallswx.com/donate/ )> * to help me pay for the website and access to premium weather data.*
None of these weather apps replace the expert opinion of an educated meteorologist. In severe weather (like tornadoes and hurricanes) or a situation with a lot of nuance (like snow when the temperature is forecast to be near freezing), every weather app will produce disappointing results. Never use a weather app to make lifesaving decisions.
Note that I have been a long-time iPhone user. When available, I will provide links to the Android version as well. Some are free, some have a cost or subscription. I will note this but not include specific cost information because prices vary slightly by country and because they can change.
I am not being paid by any of these apps for their inclusion in this article (but if any of them want to pay me I wouldn’t turn them down).####
Windy(Windy)[Apple](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/windy-com-weather-radar/id1161387262 ) • [Android](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.windyty.android ) • [Browser](https://www.windy.com/ )
Cost: *Free, paid subscription for premium features*.
Windy is an extremely versatile app that aggregates weather model data and presents it both on a map and as a time series for a single point. I have been a user of Windy for several years and have enjoyed watching it grow by adding new weather models and additional parameters.
Despite being termed as a forecast in the app, it is important to understand that the data in Windy is *model* data. Models are always wrong in some way or another, but they are a critical tool in predicting weather.
Users can toggle between different weather models, parameters, and altitude levels easily. One can also change the color tables, which I have done for my account. As of late-2024, weather models currently available on Windy for North America are the ECMWF, GFS, ICON, NAM, HRRR, and HRDPS. Each have different strengths and weaknesses.
One parameter I wish they would include is total precipitable water. Having it would be useful for visualizing atmospheric river and monsoon events. There are multiple apps named Windy, my preference is the one run by [windy.com](https://www.windy.com ).####
RadarOmega(RadarOmega)[Apple](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/radaromega/id1439881811 ) • [Android](https://play.google.com/store/search?q=RadarOmega&c=apps )
Cost: *Initial base app cost, additional add ons by paid subscription.*
RadarOmega displays real-time weather radar data for the United States, Canada, Australia, and Germany. U.S. owned radars in Japan and South Korea are also included. Many weather nerds use RadarScope, which is also good, but I made the switch because RadarOmega’s base app includes more features.
This app presents raw radar data. It will appear more pixelated and grainy than many other weather apps because those apps smooth out the data. Smoothing the data removes fine details.
Depending on the radar’s capabilities, users can view reflectivity (most commonly used for precipitation), velocity (how fast detected particles are moving), and more expert things like correlation coefficient and vertically integrated liquid. Lightning data, weather alerts, METARs, and other non-radar information can also be presented.
There is no weather radar coverage in the Canadian territories. If you live there or in another large radar gap, you have no need for this app because it will have nothing to show you.####
My Lightning Tracker(My Lightning Tracker)[Apple](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/my-lightning-tracker-alerts/id1175031987 ) • [Android](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jrustonapps.mylightningtracker&hl=en-US )
Cost: *Free with ads, one time fee for ad-free*.
My Lightning Tracker is by far the best free/cheap source of lightning data that I’ve found. It aggregates multiple commercial sources to present the locations of lightning strikes over the last hour.
It shows lightning strikes from around the world. I have used this in forecasting for Central Oregon storms because even when radar coverage is poor the lightning data show where storms are and where they are moving.
Because of how lightning is detected, it even covers remote regions like the middle of the ocean and the Canadian Arctic. There is a radar overlay function, but I don’t use this because I get my radar data from another source (RadarOmega).
I appreciate the lightning notifications it offers, even on the free version. I have it set to notify me of lightning strikes within 80 km of my current location but the range can be set anywhere between 1 and 320 km (or 1 to 200 miles).####
Wildfire Info(Wildfire Info)[Apple](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wildfire-info/id1035221813 ) • [Android](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.davidgrossapps.wildfire&hl=en-US )
Cost: *Free, paid subscription for premium features*.
Wildfire Info has a ton of different options for displaying fire data. Note that it presents data that is received by automated or semi-automated systems. It is not like [Watch Duty](https://www.watchduty.org/ ), which has human reporters who collaborate and gather data on ongoing wildfires in the Western United States.
My favorite tool on this app is the hotspot map, which shows locations where satellites have detected hotspots over the last 24 hours. Hotspots don’t necessarily mean a fire is present, however. I have also used the hotspot map to track lava flows in Hawaii and Iceland.
Also on the app are fire perimeters inputted by authorities working on wildfires. These come from sources like InciWeb and the state of California.####
Apple Weather(Apple)Cost: *Included with Apple devices*.
There will certainly be some in the meteorological community who judge me for using the generic weather app on my phone but I don’t care. Ever since purchasing DarkSky, the Apple weather app is superior for at-a-glance conditions, such as temperature, precipitation, and winds. It also sends notifications for weather alerts issued by the National Weather Service and Environment Canada.
The issue that comes from relying on this and other generic weather apps is due to people taking it at face value. It is important to remember that these “forecasts” are actually just weather model outputs. Sure, they are advanced weather models, but it’s still a model with no human input into the forecast.
It being a model isn’t a problem under most weather conditions. Where it becomes problematic is a scenario where the forecast is difficult. This and other generic weather apps will not tell you the nuance of a forecast that could produce light rain or moderate snow if the temperature deviates slightly.
While it gives weather alerts from government agencies, it shouldn’t be relied on for lifesaving data. It won’t tell you where a tornado is or how much flooding a hurricane might bring.
For everyday weather it’s totally fine and reasonable. Could I make a better forecast? Probably, but I’d spend at least 30 minutes doing it. Do I really need to do that to be a degree or two better than Apple when I’m just deciding if my kid needs a sweater or not? No, I don’t think so.####
QuakeFeed(QuakeFeed)[Apple](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/quakefeed-earthquake-tracker/id403037266 )
Cost: *Free; paid subscription model for premium and ad-free features.*
As a bonus, here’s the app I use to track earthquakes. It takes in data from the USGS, Natural Resources Canada, and European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre. Earthquakes can be plotted on a map or in a list view.
I really like the notification feature on this app. I have mine set to all earthquakes in British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon, as well as large earthquakes globally. I get maybe 6-10 earthquake notifications a day with this setting.
On individual earthquakes, there are direct links to web pages offering more data. For earthquakes that came from the USGS it also has a direct link to the relevant “Did You Feel It?” page.####
Honorable mentionsThere are a few other weather apps that I use less frequently. Storm Shield has a good push notification interface for weather alerts, WillyWeather provides the National Weather Service point forecast, and Paku shows air quality data from PurpleAir.
Volcano Up! is a good one for accessing volcano updates from the USGS, Smithsonian, and New Zealand’s government. Of course volcanoes, like earthquakes, are not weather but are still earth science.
Do you have any favorite weather apps that I missed? Let me know by dropping a comment.
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https://ingallswx.com/2024/10/08/five-weather-apps-that-i-find-useful-as-a-meteorologist/
#Weather
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