weather radar

Posted by: fishbadger

weather radar - 01/07/09 12:43 PM

Anybody have a link to an infrared satellite image loop that doesn't show the western olympic shadow artifact that plagues the radar? I'm talking about the blank spot on the west end that we see on weather radar loops. I remember somebody posting some attractive weather models recently and figured I'd ask,

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Posted by: bushbear

Re: weather radar - 01/07/09 01:16 PM

Here's one that will let you see what's coming. The link shows the previous 12 hour loop.

http://weather.unisys.com/satellite/sat_ir_enh_west_loop-12.html

As for the Seattle radar, it is based on Camano Island and we have to live with the Olympic gap. You can go to the Portland radar. It shows the south end of the Olympics pretty well and covers some of the Olympic gap from the Seattle radar.

http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=rtx&product=N0Z&overlay=11101111&loop=no

You can also look at the Victoria radar. It provides a little better coverage over the Olympic Peninsula. It might be situated a little higher in elevation than the Seattle radar, too.

http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/radar/index_e.html?id=XSI

Posted by: j 7

Re: weather radar - 01/07/09 01:31 PM

The infared radar measures the temperture of the cloud tops and is often not a good indicator of where precip is happening. Ground radar is much better for determining locations and intensity of precip.

Infared satelites loops and images come from NASA GOES satelites. Many websites use the GOES satalite info. Ground radar are in fixed locations and you are at the limitations of where they exist.

My favarite weather sites:

http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/hdfForecast?query=seattle%2C+wa&searchType=WEATHER

http://www.ghcc.msfc.nasa.gov/GOES/

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/cira/RAMM/Rmsdsol/main.html
Posted by: slabhunter

Re: weather radar - 01/07/09 02:03 PM

http://sat.wrh.noaa.gov/satellite/loopsat.php?wfo=&area=nw&type=ir&size=4
Posted by: fishbadger

Re: weather radar - 01/07/09 02:41 PM

that's the one. thanks fellers,

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Posted by: kevin lund

Re: weather radar - 01/07/09 05:51 PM

Those are great satelite images. The front looks like it may last a while longer. Sounds like the Cowletz and Grays area are getting hurt badly.