New Features in the NOAA Weather and Climate Toolkit (Viewer / Exporter)

Version 2.4

Marker Editor

Markers are now automatically saved as they are created or removed and restored each time the Toolkit's Marker Editor is used. The markers are stored in the user profile and are not shared between users in an multi-user environment.

Cache Settings:

The cache for data files may now be specified. The default location of the data cache is $(user.home)/.wct-cache/data, which is unique for each user. A custom shared cache location outside the user's profile may improve performance in a multi-user environment. To change the cache location, go to the 'Cache' tab on the 'View Properties' dialog ('View'-'View Properties'-'Cache').

Bug Fixes:

1) Fixed KMZ export bug for real-time NWS files (or any file named sn.xxxx).
2) Incorrect unit display in legend for TDWR velocity products.

Version 2.3

TDWR support

The FAA TDWR (Terminal Doppler Weather Radar) network support has been added. TDWR Level-III products are available from NCDC and the NWS real-time Gateway server. While many products are identical to NEXRAD Level-III, several 'special' TDWR specific products exist. For more information, refer to the product list at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/radar/productsdetail.html and the following documents from the Radar Operations Center:
ftp://ftp.roc.noaa.gov/PUB/TDWR_SPG_INFO/TDWR%20Map.pdf
ftp://ftp.roc.noaa.gov/PUB/TDWR_SPG_INFO/CONUS%20Radar%20Coverage%20AGL%20WSR-88D%20&%20TDWR.ppt

New Level-III Product support

The Level-III products 'Digital Hybrid Reflectivity' (DHR) and 'Digital Storm Total Precipitation' (DSP) are now supported.

Return of the Point Export support

Point export of the range bin or grid cell centroid is now supported for Radar and Satellite data. This feature was removed in version 2.0 due to significant API changes. The 'All Cuts' option is also supported.

Bookmarks

'Bookmarks' may now be saved which save the current map extent. These bookmarks are saved to the user profile and will be visible in all subsequent launchs of the Toolkit. The Bookmark Editor is available from the 'View' menu and the Bookmark button on the Toolbar.

KMZ Launch

The current view may be opened instantly in Google Earth (or whatever program is registered to the '.kmz' extension). A 'snapshot' KMZ file is written to the user's cache. This 'Launch KMZ' option is convenient for quick looks, while the 'Save KMZ' option may be used to create permanent output.

Additional Map Backgrounds

Additional Map Backgrounds including Base Maps and Imagery from ESRI (http://www.esri.com), Color Shaded Relief and Hydrologic Units.

Updated 'Interstates' Map Layer

The 'Interstates' Map Layer is now 'Major Highways' and includes major 4-lane Highways and Toll Roads.

KMZ Legend Location Changed

The location of the Legends in KMZ (Google Earth) output has changed from the top left to the upper-middle left. This change was needed because of the new location the new Time Slider in Google Earth version 5.

Version 2.3.2 Bugfix Release:
1) Changed NEXRAD HAS Orders ('NCDC' tab in Data Selector) to use ftp3.ncdc.noaa.gov server.

Version 2.3.1 Bugfix Release:
1) Fixed issue with the 'T' in the TDWR IDs parsed from TDWR files.

Version 2.2

GOES AREA file support

GOES AREA files are now supported. These files may be ordered from NOAA's CLASS system ( http://www.class.noaa.gov ). NOTE: Smoothing and Vector Data Export formats (Shapefile, WKT) are currently not supported. For a full tutorial on ordering GOES AREA files from CLASS and displaying in the Weather and Climate Toolkit, please refer to http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/wct/tutorials/

KMZ Export

Single, non-animation, KMZ files may now be produced by selecting 'Save KMZ' from the left side bar or 'File' menu.

Look and Feel

New side bars contain buttons for displaying the Data Selector, Map Selector, Services, Image and KMZ saving options. The map and legend areas are also separated with a drop shadow border.

Temporary removal of 'Session' saving

Due to several bugs and new features under development, the 'Session' saving option is temporarily disabled.

Switch in datum from WGS84 to NAD83

NAD83 is the NOAA standard geographic coordinate system and part of the NSRS (National Spatial Reference System). The Weather and Climate Toolkit has switched from using WGS84 to NAD83 in all maps, calculations and data export. NAD83 and WGS84 are VERY similar and the differences in the data location is within several meters, which is well within the accuracy range of the input data sources (Radar, Satellite, etc...).

Adjustment to Level-II Velocity color map The color map has been extended from: -50 to +50 KT , to: -60 to +60 KT.

NWS Gateway FTP support NWS Gateway FTP support has returned! For more info on the NWS FTP server, refer to: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/tg/radfiles.html

Bug Fixes

1) Export of XMRG data now allowed.
2) Classification bug in Level-II velocity and spectrum width products is fixed.
3) Bug in NetCDF for Java fixed for reading some V04 NEXRAD Level-II files.

Known Bugs / Limitations

1) 32-bit (floating point value) GeoTIFFs are temporarily disabled due to GeoTIFF encoding issues. 1-byte grayscale GeoTIFFs are provided in the interim. If the real values are needed, the ASCII GRID format is recommended.
2) NEXRAD export to point shapefiles is also temporarily disabled.
3) GOES imagery cannot be saved to Vector (Shapefile, WKT) formats.

Version 2.2.1 Bugfix Release:
1) Level-II NEXRAD legend date formatting for 12:00 - 12:59 files displayed as 00:00 - 00:59
2) Native format transfer was giving an error
3) Data source history was not current source correctly
4) DPA and XMRG export bug fixed
5) NWS Gateway files in cache now correctly cleaned up
6) Added 'None' option to Satellite legend options
7) Added checkbox in 'View Properties' to control the automatic placement of the NOAA logo in saved animations and images

Version 2.2.2 Bugfix Release:
1) ASOS overlay labeling did not work

Version 2.2.5 Bugfix Release:
1) Changed NEXRAD HAS Orders ('NCDC' tab in Data Selector) to use ftp3.ncdc.noaa.gov server.

Version 2.1

Full Message 31 (Build-10) Level-II NEXRAD support

The recombined data (V04) structure is now supported.

Improved KMZ support

Altitude values may now be specified for exported KMZ files (Google Earth display). This is for visual effect only, and does not represent the actual altitude of the data. Surface 'shadows' are created for when an altitude above the Earth surface is used. Single KMZ files may be exported from the 'Export KMZ' button on the right 'SideBar'.

Move to NetCDF for Java version 4.0 API

The NetCDF for Java version 4.0 API is now used as the framework for data decoding. The Common Data Model layer is used to deal with data as 'Radial', 'Grid', 'Swath', etc... This allows users to develop plugin decoders to add custom data formats. Currently, these require recompilation of the source code to integrate. Eventually, these plugins will be able to be loaded dynamically.

Version 2.0

Transition to the NOAA Weather and Climate Toolkit

The Java NEXRAD Tools is being used as the basis for the new NOAA Weather and Climate Toolkit, with support for Radar, Satellite, Model and Station Network data. The emphasis for this toolkit will be simple visualization and data export, focusing on enhancing interoperability with other specialized tools in various scientific communities. In addition, the Weather and Climate Toolkit will allow direct access to data available via Web Services. Initial plans include access to the U.S. Drought Monitor, NEXRAD Reflectivity Mosaics, Station Data services and more. The toolkit is in early development and not all planned features are available.

NEXRAD Super-Resolution Support

NEXRAD Super-Resolution (Message 31) data is now supported. Super-Res. data has 4 times greater range resolution and 2 times greater azimuth resolution.

Smoothing and Transparency Controls Moved

The Smoothing and Transparency controls for NEXRAD data are now located in the 'Data Layers' tab of the 'Layer selector' window (formerly the 'Overlay Selector').

New Rasterizer / Improved Performance

Rasterization (converting range bin polygons to a grid) is now done with Java 2D Graphics API. This eliminates a previous (and rare) bug that showed large rectangular streaks of small data values at certain zoom extents. In addition, performance in decoding and processing (rasterizing) is improved.

Missing Features Available in Java NEXRAD Tools version 1.9:

These features are under development and will be included in later releases.

'Point' and 'All Points' export is currently not available for Level-II NEXRAD files
Range-Folded data values are unable to be displayed for Level-II NEXRAD files
Improved handling of NWS Real-Time server
VTK export of Level-II 'CAPPI Cubes'

Java NEXRAD Tools - New Features

Version 1.9

Improved handling of the Real-Time National Weather Service server

The file listing has been improved for Custom URLs pointing towards the real-time NWS server ( http://www.nws.noaa.gov/tg/rpccds.html ). Note: The date/time of the file is not present in the NWS server filenames (sn.xxxx, etc...). As a result of this, the timestamp of the file is used in the file list. This timestamp is usually several minutes ahead of the actual product generation time. When the file is displayed, the correct timestamp decoded from the file is displayed.

Version 1.8

Improved NEXRAD Level-III Filtering Capabilities

NEXRAD Level-III data can now be filtered by minValues and maxValues. Previously, the category (most Level-III data is categorized) had to be specified. Non-numeric categories (such as 'RF' (range folded)), can be also selected for inclusion/exclusion. In addition, multiple min/max ranges can now be specified. For more information, please refer to the Java NEXRAD Tools Tutorial (Getting Started) at http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/radar/jnx/jnxv-basics.php .

Version 1.7

AVI Movie Export

Any animation may now be saved as an AVI file. The uncompressed AVI format is used which provides excellent quality but large file sizes.

Version 1.6

Supplemental Data Access

Any supplemental data present in supported NEXRAD Level-III files can now be viewed in the Java NEXRAD Viewer. Supplemental data is text information produced with some NEXRAD Level-III products such as One/Three/Storm Total Precip (N1P,N3P,NTP). These data include the adaptation parameters used in the algorithms along with general information about the product. To open the supplemental data viewer, select 'Supplemental Data' under the 'View' menu.

Data Export Support for VAD Wind Profile (NVW/48):

The VAD Wind Profile product may now be exported as any Vector output format, including shapefile and WKT. The point features all have the same lat/lon of the radar site, but the different altitudes and corresponding values are present in the attribute table. In addition, the raw supplemental data is exported (see below).

Supplemental Data Export

Any supplemental data present in supported NEXRAD Level-III files are now exported with any export format. These data are saved in a text file with the naming convention of *filename*_sup.txt

Puerto Rico on Base Map

Puerto Rico has been added to the states base map layer available through the 'Overlay Selector'.

Raw NetCDF Output

Level-II and some Level-III files may be saved in a Raw NetCDF file. These NetCDF files are not gridded and represent the raw radial data structure in the data. Most NetCDF visualization tools will only display CF-compliant gridded NetCDF data. This feature is accessible from the 'Format' menu of the Data Exporter. In batch mode, use the format string of 'rnc' to specify Raw NetCDF - 'nc' still means gridded NetCDF.

Version 1.5

Support of Mesocyclone Detection Algorithm product (NMD/141):

The new Mesocyclone Detection Algorithm (MDA) Level-III product (NMD), code 141, is now supported. This product provides information about circulation features generated from the output of the new Mesocyclone Detection Algorithm. This product provides information concerning the past and future positions of each tracked circulation feature and is updated once per volume scan time.

User Interface Windows

The pop-up user interface windows (such as Overlay Selector, View Properties, etc...) are now dialogs that will always remain 'on top' of the main map window.

Raster Export Projection Files

All NEXRAD files exported to the ESRI ASCII Grid or ESRI Binary Grid raster (gridded) formats will now have an accompanying projection (.prj) file, as is currently the case for Shapefiles. This reflects a recent change in ArcGIS 9.2 which allows direct loading (without using ArcToolbox) of ESRI ASCII Grid (.asc) files. ArcGIS 9.2 will also automatically detect the projection (.prj) file, which eliminates the need for the manual projection definition in ArcToolbox. Originally gridded data (DPA, XMRG), is now output with '_native.[asc,hdr,flt]' and '_native.prj' suffixes, to prevent overlap and confusion with Shapefiles.

Version 1.4

Copy Image to Clipboard:

Screenshots may now be copied to the system clipboard. To copy the current image in the viewer to the clipboard, use either the menu option 'File' - 'Copy to Clipboard' or the keyboard shortcut (Control-C). The image may be pasted into applications such as Office, Email, Photo editors, etc...

Support of Archive Status Product (RSL/152):

The Archive Status Product / Radar Status Log (RSL), code 152, is now supported. The Archive Status Product contains an adaptable number of hours of RPG status log messages. The product (by default) is generated every eight hours at 00:00, 08:00, and 16:00 GMT. The product contains all RPG status log messages since the last product was generated.

Copy Alphanumeric and Status Products to Clipboard:

Text content from the 'Supplemental Data' windows of Alphanumeric data along with the status messages (GSM and RSL products) can now be copied to the system clipboard. The text may be pasted into applications such as Office, Email, Photo editors, etc...

Version 1.3

KMZ Animation Export:

Animations may now be saved in the KMZ format used in digital earth software, such as Google Earth, NASA Worldwind and ArcGIS Explorer. The KMZ files are completely self-contained and portable containing all necessary image frames, legends and logos. Similar to regular animations, the exported images use the current view extent of the NEXRAD Viewer along with the current background color. All overlays are turned off, although any WMS Backgrounds will remain visible. To access this feature, open the 'Animation Generator' ( 'Tools' - 'NEXRAD Animation' from menu), select the desired files and press the 'Export KMZ' button.

Version 1.2

New WMS Background Maps: Several new Web Map Services (WMS) are available for use as background maps.

1) Geography Network US Map - replaces the DEMIS US Streets WMS and provides very attractive Country-level to Street-level background maps.

2) ESRI World Map - provides detailed world maps with different layers closer zoom extents.

3) NASA Earth At Night - nighttime satellite product showing population centers

These features are accessible in the 'Overlay Selector' under the 'Web Map Services (WMS)' tab and 'WMS Image 1' dropdown. The Web Map Services are generated from the Geospatial Information Database (GIDB) maintained by the Digital Mapping, charting and Geodesy Analysis Program Team (DMAP) at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). For more information: http://columbo.nrlssc.navy.mil/dmap/idx.jsp

Version 1.1

1. VTK Export Format: This interpolates Level-II data onto a 'data cube' ( x(lon)/y(lat)/z(meters) ) and exports the data in the VTK format. This format can be viewed in 3D using programs such as Paraview ( http://www.paraview.org ). This processing is still in the early testing phase so use at your own risk!

2. GML Export Format: The Geographic Markup Language (GML) can be used to encode vector datasets. GML is a type of XML and is described at: http://www.opengis.net/gml/

3. Raster Cellsize Support: Either the raster number of cells or cellsize can now be defined. Cellsize is defined in degrees.

4. SSH Support: Users may now connect to SSH servers to access data.

5. Level-II Animations: Level-II data may now be animated using the Nexrad Animator tool. If VCPs change between files, the same integer cut number will be used regardless of the actual elevation angle. If the cut number doesn't exist, the last cut in the volume scan will be used.

6. Level-II Export Properties: This window is now embedded in the NexradExporter main window and appears when exporting Level-II data.

Bug Fixes:

1. KCAE Asos location corrected
2. Level-II Export Properties list non-refresh error