Author Topic: Forecast Icons Changing (Read 13463 times)

W Thomas · « **on:** April 21, 2015, 03:27:08 PM »

NWS previews new icons for Point Forecast pages

Effective July 7, 2015, NWS will implement changes to the icons on all our Point Forecast pages. In addition to providing increased clarity, the new icons will cover six-hour periods (vs. 12 hours) for rapidly-changing weather and utilize new color brackets to highlight forecast hazards.

Preview the new icons by viewing your local forecast at www.weather.gov...

Looks like some of us will need new forecast icons possibly depending upon how they do things

saratogaWX · « **Reply #1 on:** April 21, 2015, 04:16:45 PM »

Thanks for the heads-up... Looking at http://innovation.srh.noaa.gov/newicons/icons.html shows I'll need to gen a replacement set of saratoga-icons for the changes. They do show how they plan to present the new 6-hr:6-hr forecast images at http://www.weather.gov/eax/pointforecastdualimage , but... I don't know if those will be static files (unlikely) or dynamically created files (probable) based on merge of left and right sides of existing static icons. Just have to see the page 'for real' to figure out which method they'll use.

Nevertheless.. be assured that you'll have a forecast with the advforecast2 script ready

Best regards,
Ken

saratogaWX · « **Reply #2 on:** April 21, 2015, 04:27:25 PM »

Looking at a preview version of a current forecast shows

Quote

<div id="seven-day-forecast-container"><ul id="seven-day-forecast-list" class="list-unstyled"><li class="forecast-tombstone">
<div class="tombstone-container">
<p class="period-name">Tonight<br><br></p>
<p><img src="newimages/medium/nbkn.png" alt="Tonight: Increasing clouds, with a low around 44. Southwest wind 7 to 14 mph. " title="Tonight: Increasing clouds, with a low around 44. Southwest wind 7 to 14 mph. " class="forecast-icon"></p><p class="short-desc">Increasing<br>Clouds</p><p class="temp temp-low">Low: 44 °F</p></div></li><li class="forecast-tombstone">
<div class="tombstone-container">
<p class="period-name">Wednesday<br><br></p>
<p><img src="DualImage.php?i=shra&j=shra&ip=40&jp=70" alt="Wednesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms between 11am and 2pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64. Breezy, with a south wind 10 to 20 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 33 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. " title="Wednesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms between 11am and 2pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64. Breezy, with a south wind 10 to 20 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 33 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. " class="forecast-icon"></p><p class="short-desc">Scattered<br>Showers then<br>Showers<br>Likely and<br>Breezy</p><p class="temp temp-high">High: 64 °F</p></div></li><li class="forecast-tombstone">
<div class="tombstone-container">
<p class="period-name">Wednesday<br>Night</p>
<p><img src="DualImage.php?i=hi_nshwrs&j=nsct&ip=20" alt="Wednesday Night: A slight chance of showers before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. West wind 6 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%." title="Wednesday Night: A slight chance of showers before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. West wind 6 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%." class="forecast-icon"></p><p class="short-desc">Slight Chance<br>Showers then<br>Partly Cloudy</p><p class="temp temp-low">Low: 40 °F</p></div></li><li class="forecast-tombstone">
<div class="tombstone-container">
<p class="period-name">Thursday<br><br></p>
<p><img src="newimages/medium/bkn.png" alt="Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 56. West wind 7 to 16 mph. " title="Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 56. West wind 7 to 16 mph. " class="forecast-icon"></p><p class="short-desc">Partly Sunny</p><p class="temp temp-high">High: 56 °F</p></div></li><li class="forecast-tombstone">
<div class="tombstone-container">
<p class="period-name">Thursday<br>Night</p>
<p><img src="newimages/medium/nsct.png" alt="Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 39. Northwest wind 6 to 10 mph. " title="Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 39. Northwest wind 6 to 10 mph. " class="forecast-icon"></p><p class="short-desc">Partly Cloudy</p><p class="temp temp-low">Low: 39 °F</p></div></li><li class="forecast-tombstone">
<div class="tombstone-container">
<p class="period-name">Friday<br><br></p>
<p><img src="newimages/medium/few.png" alt="Friday: Sunny, with a high near 57." title="Friday: Sunny, with a high near 57." class="forecast-icon"></p><p class="short-desc">Sunny</p><p class="temp temp-high">High: 57 °F</p></div></li><li class="forecast-tombstone">
<div class="tombstone-container">
<p class="period-name">Friday<br>Night</p>
<p><img src="newimages/medium/nsct.png" alt="Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36." title="Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36." class="forecast-icon"></p><p class="short-desc">Partly Cloudy</p><p class="temp temp-low">Low: 36 °F</p></div></li><li class="forecast-tombstone">
<div class="tombstone-container">
<p class="period-name">Saturday<br><br></p>
<p><img src="DualImage.php?i=bkn&j=ra&jp=40" alt="Saturday: A chance of rain after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 56. Chance of precipitation is 40%." title="Saturday: A chance of rain after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 56. Chance of precipitation is 40%." class="forecast-icon"></p><p class="short-desc">Partly Sunny<br>then Chance<br>Rain</p><p class="temp temp-high">High: 56 °F</p></div></li><li class="forecast-tombstone">
<div class="tombstone-container">
<p class="period-name">Saturday<br>Night</p>
<p><img src="newimages/medium/nbkn.png" alt="Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41." title="Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41." class="forecast-icon"></p><p class="short-desc">Mostly Cloudy</p><p class="temp temp-low">Low: 41 °F</p></div></li></ul></div></div>

Which indicates they'll be doing a script (DualImage.php) to dynamically combine/mark images for the dual-period forecasts.
Easy enough to do .. Don't have to generate a ton of unique static images afterall.. this will be more simple than I'd thought

Best regards,
Ken

W Thomas · « **Reply #3 on:** April 21, 2015, 05:09:54 PM »

That's great Ken! I was afraid there would be a zillion new images to either have to generate somehow or paste and copy from the NWS copies

If anyone can do it you can !

Thanks for all your hard work and dedication!

Curly · « **Reply #4 on:** April 21, 2015, 06:01:30 PM »

This could be interesting with alerts...
http://www.weather.gov/eax/pointforecastheadlines

Cutty Sark Sailor · « **Reply #5 on:** April 22, 2015, 09:01:40 AM »

Quote from: Curly on April 21, 2015, 06:01:30 PM

This could be interesting with alerts...
http://www.weather.gov/eax/pointforecastheadlines

My first impression is "Arrrgghhh! Whatever happened to KISS?"

SlowModem · « **Reply #6 on:** April 22, 2015, 09:49:07 AM »

I looked at the new icons for my area and the icon for showers looks like it's the forecast for dark. I didn't know it was rain until I read it. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Maumelle Weather · « **Reply #7 on:** April 22, 2015, 10:06:19 AM »

The forecast icons I don't mind, but the alert(s) around/behind the icons I'm not sure I like that. Makes me think they are going for a design that is for mobile platforms.

W Thomas · « **Reply #8 on:** April 22, 2015, 11:57:56 AM »

Quote from: sacreyweather on April 22, 2015, 10:06:19 AM

The forecast icons I don't mind, but the alert(s) around/behind the icons I'm not sure I like that. Makes me think they are going for a design that is for mobile platforms.

I think that is the trend they are following. Everything in 320X480 LOL!

saratogaWX · « **Reply #9 on:** May 11, 2015, 12:06:24 AM »

Well, I've been fiddling around with the new icons that are described here and have 'reverse engineered' the DualImage.php script so that advforecast2.php will support the dynamically generated dual image icons when the forecast.weather.gov site switches to use that method.

I use the 134x134 master graphics they showed here for the DualImage.php script. I also created a new set of 55x55 JPG icons to work with the static PoP stamped image names (both old and new, so there are 750 images in the set). I also have created an 86x86 PNG icon set so folks will be able to choose the new larger size (better resolution) images if they wish. Unfortunately, I won't be able to support the animated GIF icons from meteotriviglio as there's not a good PHP image... function to extract a series of images from a GIF. But... folks who want to stay with the animated GIF icons when the new 6hr forecast period icons are available will be able to keep them.. their forecast for the period will just be the icon for the first 6hr of the period.

It's not quite ready for distribution just yet, but here are old, new-dual and new-w/o-dual screen captures of the script(s).

CURRENT advforecast2.php

DUAL-ICON advforecast2.php

DUAL-ICONS with the DualImage.php script not available

DUAL-ICONS with 86x86 PNG images

Best regards,
Ken

Otis · « **Reply #10 on:** May 11, 2015, 04:28:16 AM »

Ken, I'm sure I can speak for most when I say - thanks for staying on top of "stuff" like this. For those of us that love the weather and maintaining a site - yet lack programing skills - your efforts are much appreciated.

ALITTLEweird1 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 11, 2015, 08:27:55 AM »

Is anything going to happen for those using the animated icons?

saratogaWX · « **Reply #12 on:** May 11, 2015, 10:59:27 AM »

I'm looking for some scripts to de/re-construct animated GIFs.. don't know if there will be success or not.

SLOweather · « **Reply #13 on:** May 11, 2015, 11:34:37 AM »

Hi Ken,

I found this old post from another forum

Quote

If you're ok with command line tools, you can install ImageMagick (may already be installed if you use Linux). Googling around I found that the following command will break the frames into individual files:

convert +adjoin -coalesce anim.gif frame%02d.gif

And I have the scripts I wrote to take WASP2 images and turn them in to animate GIFs, if you need them.

W Thomas · « **Reply #14 on:** May 11, 2015, 11:54:50 AM »

Was wondering just the other day how this project was progressing

Looks like Ken has been busy as a beaver on the new methods they have came up with.

I think I can speak for all on this when I say we greatly appreciate all your hard work on these matters!

saratogaWX · « **Reply #15 on:** May 11, 2015, 12:48:54 PM »

Quote from: SLOweather on May 11, 2015, 11:34:37 AM

Hi Ken,

I found this old post from another forum

Quote
If you're ok with command line tools, you can install ImageMagick (may already be installed if you use Linux). Googling around I found that the following command will break the frames into individual files:

convert +adjoin -coalesce anim.gif frame%02d.gif

And I have the scripts I wrote to take WASP2 images and turn them in to animate GIFs, if you need them.

Thanks Chris,
I've got the assembly of the animated GIF from frame GIFs code

Used it in the Blitzortung maps. ImageMagic is not available on most PHP installations, so I'm planning on using native PHP GD and auxillary scripts to do the disassembly, resize, reassembly so it will be widely usable for the DualImage function.

Quote from: Otis on May 11, 2015, 04:28:16 AM

Ken, I'm sure I can speak for most when I say - thanks for staying on top of "stuff" like this. For those of us that love the weather and maintaining a site - yet lack programing skills - your efforts are much appreciated.

Quote from: W Thomas on May 11, 2015, 11:54:50 AM

Was wondering just the other day how this project was progressing
Looks like Ken has been busy as a beaver on the new methods they have came up with.

I think I can speak for all on this when I say we greatly appreciate all your hard work on these matters!

Thanks guys! I know there are a lot of installations depending on the advforecast2.php script for NWS forecasts .. just trying to stay ahead of the curve (this time). I've got running code (as you've seen above), and just trying to get support for the animated GIF DualImage if possible. The current dual-images NWS site available as a 'preview' may have changes to the printable-forecast text before it is released to the forecast.weather.gov (likely) so I'm just waiting to release until closer to their implementation time of July 7th, 2015.

Best regards,
Ken

CNYWeather · « **Reply #16 on:** May 11, 2015, 02:01:28 PM »

And the Oscar for best supporting script writer goes to............................

KEN TRUE!

W Thomas · « **Reply #17 on:** May 15, 2015, 06:23:46 PM »

Apparently the NWS is playing around with the icons today. I don't have any forecast icons at all but the text forecast product is OK
But also it looks like they may be doing some experimentation with the point cast matrix end of things as I have a "county" forecast instead of a "localized" forecast.

Problem could also be local to my office I suppose but at any rate I thought it might help in the design of things..if they decided to implement early or a change.

I included a screen cap of what my forecast looks like currently

saratogaWX · « **Reply #18 on:** May 15, 2015, 07:49:35 PM »

The NWS switched off the point printable forecasts and diverted to a funny-formatted Zone forecast.
The advforecast2.php V3.16 is now available to handle it.

Best regards,
Ken

W Thomas · « **Reply #19 on:** May 15, 2015, 10:47:09 PM »

Thanks Ken!
As always works like a charm!

Bunty · « **Reply #20 on:** May 16, 2015, 12:36:04 AM »

I might decide to change with the new NWS icons over the animated .gif ones I'm using now, in order to make my web page load faster.

RickNY · « **Reply #21 on:** July 07, 2015, 09:45:15 AM »

Ken,

Implemented the new advforecast2.php Ver. 4.0 on my site yesterday along with the new icon set and DualImage.php.. Everything seems to be working great so far.. Nice work! As of 10:17 AM EDT, I still need to use the debug flag to force the dualview URL to see the changes in the forecast description -- but that's NOAA. Great job, and again -- thank you!

Rick
http://www.indigopc.com

tshattuck · « **Reply #22 on:** July 07, 2015, 10:28:22 AM »

Ken:
I just downloaded your updated scripts and updated my website. My homepage and Forecast page are now showing XHTML and CSS errors. The same CSS errors now appear on all my web pages.

The pages do appear to display correctly.

http://yourlocalweather-clay-ny.com/wxforecast.php

I copied the new image files into the forecast/images/ subdirectory and am now getting error messages about the images. Did I do something wrong or is there an issue with the PHP scripts?

Your assitance is appreciated.

saratogaWX · « **Reply #23 on:** July 07, 2015, 10:39:35 AM »

It's an issue with the existing (old) point-printable forecast that the <img ...> statements aren't <img ... /> so the validator flags those. There are no CSS changes/additions, so any CSS errata are not caused by the new advforecast2.php V4.00 script.

I just checked (with the force dualicons) the new dual-icon forecast and it is properly XHTML 1.0-Transitional.
http://saratoga-weather.org/wxtemplates/USA/wxforecast.php

tshattuck · « **Reply #24 on:** July 07, 2015, 11:17:41 AM »

Ken:
Thanks for the quick reply. If I understand correctly this is a NWS issue. Am I correct or do I need to address something on my website?

Thanks again for all you do for us folks.

News:

Author Topic: Forecast Icons Changing (Read 13463 times)