Topic: Is it possible to get more warnings or watches? Hurricane warnings?

[Marauder]

Newb here, was gifted a key so please don't tell me I am trying to play with more than I need, I just want to learn

But pretty simple just wondering if it's possible with these placefiles I am seeing? I notice there are no hurricane watches or warnings for example.
 Anything out of the box / non-vanilla to add to the program? I see I can change the warnings server as well?

Thank you

[saratogaWX]

There are many placefiles available .. check out https://luker.org/resources/grlevelx/placefiles/

[ezbncs]

no the standard watch/warnings placefiles that i have used there is never those are not included

[saratogaWX]

I'm working with Mike Davis at NWS Nashville to develop a NWS alerts placefile script.

It's a work-in-progress, but you're welcome to try it out as GRLevel3 placefiles if you like:

Alerts as colored areas: https://saratoga-weather.org/alerts-placefile/alert-areas.php
Alerts outlined w/details: https://saratoga-weather.org/alerts-placefile/alert-details.php

I'm still exploring what can be done with the scripts, and sometimes it may be broken.. that's what development is all about.

[CNYWeather]

FWIW Ken, I tried to check out the new placefile script. Each time I inserted it into GRLevel3, the program crashed.
Once I removed the placefile, all was well again.

[saratogaWX]

Which radar site were you viewing when the crash happened?

I've seen some issues like that during the hurricane.. many alerts/lots of polygons (with the alert-areas.php expecially).

The two links are still 'beta' as I continue to refine the scripts .. thanks for taking a look.

[CNYWeather]

I was using my closest, KTYX Montague, NY.

I always like to test new things, so I gave it a shot.

[saratogaWX]

I'm still having some intermittent crashing of GRLevel3 due (likely) to a bad placefile directive.. still debugging.  I'll let you know when it is fully functional again.  I'm also adding an Icon in the areas display that the mouseover will popup the alert.

[vinesweather]

Is there anything similar for Australia?

[saratogaWX]

Is there anything similar for Australia?

Sadly, I don't think so.  The Australia BOM is quite protective of their data via copyright and terms-of-use for third-parties.  That includes
their weather radar images and weather/alerts data.
The api.weather.gov (source of the data) is all Public Domain by law, so can be freely reused.

Let me know if there is a freely available source for Australian data and I can take a look.. At present, I don't think GRLevel3 can use Australian radar outside of subscription sites like AllisonHouse feeds, but I could be just uninformed.

[saratogaWX]

Ok, I've cooked the script enough to share it.

Samples to use in GRLevel3 placefile manager window: 
Land alerts with areas    https://saratoga-weather.org/alerts-placefile/alert-areas.php
Marine alerts with areas https://saratoga-weather.org/alerts-placefile/alert-marine-areas.php

Code available at https://github.com/ktrue/NWS-alerts-placefile if you want to try on your site .. some assembly is required.

You'll need to follow the instructions at https://github.com/ktrue/NWS-alerts-placefile/tree/main/shapefiles#readme to download
the needed shapefiles from the NWS and unzip them in that directory for the script to work.

I'll be updating the main README.md file later today.

[WeatherHost]

Alerts outlined w/details: https://saratoga-weather.org/alerts-placefile/alert-details.php

I'm trying that one and not seeing a lot.  I don't want colored areas (they obscure too much) and don't need the tips/details on hover.

[saratogaWX]

That's why I have two options Areas-with-icon and outlines so you can choose which you'd like to see.  The mouse-over popup text is the detailed info about the alert so I thought it critical to provide it.  The outlines(details) can be a bit wonky depending on the coordinates provided by the NWS from the shapefiles -- I find the areas display to be smoother on the eyes, but you go with what is best for you.

As an aside, this has been a deep-dive coding effort.  JSON api, GR3 placefile construction and most deep.. extracting/using data from ESRI shapefiles in PHP code (thanks to a php-shapefile class set by Gaspare Sganga https://gasparesganga.com/labs/php-shapefile/ ).  Also constructing a GR3 icon sheet from scratch using Curly's separate .gif icons from NWS-alerts.php script.  I love this hobby

[weatherbee]

Hi Ken,
I think I followed the directions but when I add it to my GR3 placefile manager the program shuts down.
I'm using https://shermanctweather.org/alerts-placefile/alert-areas.php?dpi=96&lat=41.577&lon=-73.473 for the placefile.
I'm not sure what I did wrong.
Thanks,
Tom

[saratogaWX]

You should just use https://shermanctweather.org/alerts-placefile/alert-areas.php for the placefile in GRLevel3 -- the GRLevel3 will add all the other required arguments (stuff after the ? in the URL) when it fetches the placefile.

[weatherbee]

Thanks Ken.
Now it's working fine.
Tom

[saratogaWX]

Thanks Ken.
Now it's working fine.
Tom

That's great!  Did you encounter any issues with the installation instructions?  I was worried they might be incomplete/confusing for a new installation with all the stuff needed to get the shapefiles downloaded/installed.

[weatherbee]

The directions were pretty good.  I had to read them a couple of times, but it was fairly easy.
I did think I needed to include the latitude and longitude, but I see you don't.

I have noticed that the program just shut down once after I was running the alerts for about an hour.
I'm not sure why but I have it up running again and will keep an eye on it.
Thanks,
Tom
Edit:
It's been running fine for over 24 hours.
Thanks again Ken.

[Tesla]

Thank you Ken!  All four are working great!

[weatherbee]

Ken,
The warnings placefile had worked well until today.  Now when the place files load GR3 shuts down.  Not sure why.  I hadn’t changed anything.
Tom

[Tesla]

Hi Tom,

It is running fine for me today in GR3.  Maybe there is some kind of conflict with other placefiles?

[weatherbee]

That's possible, but I haven't added any other placefile from when it was working.

[Tesla]

I let the placefile run overnight and it didn't crash GR3.  I have 32GB of ram, maybe it is crashing on systems with less ram?

[weatherbee]

Watching it run all day.  If I close down GR3 and restart it, it runs fine.  If GR3 shuts down unexpectedly, when I start the alert placefile it shuts GR3 down.  I just have to make sure GR3 shuts down correctly before I start the placefile.
Tom

[WeatherHost]

Mine is AppCrashing immediately on start.  Can't open the program at all to deselect the placefile.  Not sure how to correct this.  Not sure if it has anything to do with the placefile.