Full-text bulletins are now available for Storm Watches and Mesoscale Discussions layers. Like with Warning Polygons, a blue icon will appear near the edge of each watch:

Click the blue icon to display the full bulletin text from the Storm Prediction Center:

Those of you who have been long-time customers know we are very open to suggestions and improvements. This is a product for you, after all!

	Surface Pressure HG The original Surface Pressure layer has been enahced to provide an alternate with readings in Hg, inches mercury, rather than Millibars. Requested By: Raymond Heinmiller Available Under: Surface Weather category
	Dewpoint Plots A new layer depicting the Dewpoint readings only in degrees farhenheit is now available. Requested By: John Bagioni Available Under: Surface Weather category

Do you have a suggestion for a new layer or improvement?

• Small request such as modifying existing layers are the easiest can usually be implemented right away
• If you have a larger feature request, we'd still like to hear about it but know that it may take awhile to implement (probably the next version release)

It's our biggest sale ever.. Buy 30-days access to Weather Defender for just $1.00!

Today and Tomorrow Only, save over $120 off the regular price.

Click Here for Details & Ordering Sale is over.

** Offer expires Tomorrow, August 2nd **

Don't miss out on this incredibly opportunity and incredible features:

• 24/7, 360-degree Weather Tracking
• Real-time Weather Graphics
• Mobile Weather Alerts

Customize your map with over 60 Weather Data options:

NOTE: After Monday the $99 activation fee will apply and the standard monthly price of $21.95. Be sure to order today to get the lowest price possible.

Sale is over, thanks for participating! 

- NOAA

June, July, and August are the peak months for lightning-related fatalities in the United States and injures more people annually than Tornadoes and Hurricanes combined.

Are your prepared? Enjoy your summer, but keep these Lightning Safety tips in mind:

• If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to get struck. Lightning bolts can strike up to 10-miles from the base of a thunderstorm.
• Many lightning injuries occur when people leave shelter too soon after a thunderstorm has passed. Avoid tragedy and wait at least 30 minutes after the last lightning strike before resuming outdoor activities.
• Lightning follows the path of least resistance. If you cannot find indoor shelter, stay low to the ground and away from tall objects (like trees). Your vehicle is usually the safest choice if stranded outdoors.

Rounding out the Summer Heat Collection, the new Heat Index layers tell you the summary of "How Hot It Feels" outside.

• White: Below 80°F - Not significant risk for heat-related illnesses.
• Yellow: 80°F to 100°F - Caution: fatigue is possible with prolonged exposure and activity. Continuing activity could result in heat cramps.
• Orange: 100°F to 110°F - Extreme caution: heat cramps, and heat exhaustion are possible. Continuing activity could result in heat stroke
• Red: 110°F to 120°F - Danger: heat cramps, and heat exhaustion are likely; heat stroke is probable with continued activity
• Pink: 120°F or higher - Extreme danger: heat stroke is imminent

This is critical information for anyone participating in summer-time activities: sports, camping, hiking, etc. Even keeping tabs on elderly friends and family members, especially at risk from heat-related illnesses.

The Heat Index layers can be found under the Surface Weather category in the Layer Browser.

The dog days of summer are here! Grab a cold drink, relax, and check out these latest new features in Weather Defender:

Relative Humidity Layers

Relative Humidity Plots

Just when you think it couldn't get any hotter, we throw some humidity into the mix. But seriously, RH Plots show you the level of moisture in the air--the fuel of thunderstorm development.

Relative Humidity
Contours

Contoured plots of the RH Plots above for easier visualization and spotting potential areas of thunderstorm formation.

Wind Chill Layers

Wind Chill Plots

Wind Chill in July? No, you probably won't be making use of this layer for a few months. But we're just trying to do our part to cool you down this summer.

Wind Chill Contours
At-a-glance visualization of those scary-cold temps.

Here's how to add these new layers to your map:

1.   Unlock your map by clicking the padlock icon in the upper-right of the Map Layers window (or the Lock icon on the Map toolbar)
2.   On the main toolbar, click Map > Add Layer
3.   In the Layer Browser, click the Surface Weather category
4.   Find the corresponding layer (RH Plots/WC Plots, etc) and click Add To Map

NWS/NOAA/NASA and most remaining government agencies are exchanging data to facilitate response to the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Now that this data is public, it can be incorpated into standardized GIS mapping interfaces, like Weather Defender.

High resolution imagery of Gulf from NASA MODIS

Downloading & Importing High Resolution Imagery

NASA's MODIS technology provides extremely high resolution imagery from around the world in full color and near real-time. Here's how to import it into Weather Defender:

1. Open a web browser and visit the following URL:
   http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?subset=USA7 
   This is the MODIS page devoted to northern Gulf of Mexico imagery.
    
2. Of the image options, MODIS Aqua is going to give us the best view of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Click MODIS Aqua True Color (recommend 1KM pixel size)
    
3. On the subsequent screen there are several download options. Weather Defender can support most of these formats, but GeoTIFF is the easiest to import. Click Download GeoTIFF File and save to a folder on your hard drive.
    
4. In Weather Defender, click Map > Add Layer (drop-down) > Import GIS from Disk. Then navigate to the folder containing the GeoTIFF file and select it. If that works you should see the image on your Weather Defender map, as shown:

High-res MODIS imagery imported into Weather Defender

Last step: Drag the new layer into the Background group in the Map Layers window, so it doesn't obscure all your weather data. If you don't know how to do this, see the Wiki entry on re-arranging layers.

Plotting the Oil Rig Position

The Deepwater Horizon rig was mining the Macondo Prospect, Block 252 of the Gulf of Mexico when it exploded. Here's how to plot that location on your map:

1. In Weather Defender, Click Map > Add Point (drop-down) > Add Point at Coordinate
   
   

   

2. Enter the following coordinates:
   
   Latitude:      28.75
   Longitude:  -88.33 (must be negative)
   
   * These coordinates are approximate. If anyone has closer coordinates, please post a comment
    
3. On the label box that appears, type "Deepwater Rig" and press Enter. You should now see a labeled point on your map near the center of the new imagery:

Zoom in closer and you can literally see the oil sheen reflecting off the water: 

Visible oil sheen from the BP Deepwater Horizon rig

Hurricane Tracking in the Gulf

This week we released the 2010 Hurricane Upgrade. If you have that upgrade you can plot the course of tropical storms and hurricanes in the gulf. This is an item of considerable interest to those monitoring the oil spill.

1. Open the Layer Browser (Map > Add Layers) and click 2010 Hurricane Tracking Layers category.
   
   
    
2. Find the hurricane or tropical storm currently affecting the Gulf area (if any).
    
3. Add the following layers to your map:
   - Current Winds
   - Forecast Points
   - Forecast Line
   - Forecast Winds
   - Error Swath
   - Past Points
   - Watch/Warnings (for coastal threats)
    
4. Re-arrange the layers in the Map Layers window to preference.
    

You will now be able to see with great clarity what the precise threat is for each tropical storm or hurricane as it passes through the gulf:

In the case of Tropical Storm Alex, the path is projected to veer west into Mexico and should not pose a problem to the Deepwater Horizon containment effort. However, fringe winds shown in the Error Swath layer are considerably closer to the oil spill than the main track, and should be monitored closely.

---
UPDATE: As of Sunday, Tropical Storm Alex has been downgraded to a Depression, with winds gusting below 39 MPH.

The 2010 Hurricane Season has begun! Already two named hurricanes approach in the Pacific, and the first storm has been named in the Atlantic.

Don't get caught unprepared! Sign up for the 2010 Hurricane Upgrade today and save $70 off the regular price.

• The 2010 Hurricane Upgrade is an add-on for current Weather Defender subscribers that allows you to track Hurricane and Tropical Cyclones in unprecedented detail:
• Imagine being able to track hurricanes in real time, with street-level resolution. That is precisely what the Hurricane Upgrade can do for you.
   

2010 Hurricane Upgrade
reg $199.95 only $129.95
 
Sale runs from June 25 to July 15

Click Here for details and pricing

A new layer Cell Tops and an upgrade to Warning Polygons was released today.

The new Cell Tops layer displays large-scale storm movements, both direction and speed, and height in 100's of feet. If present, threat attributes HAIL, MESO, or TVS are also displayed. This layer is commonly seen in Radar Summary weather graphics used by pilots.

Cell Tops layer provides an overview of large-storm movements

If present, threat attributes are displayed alongside each cell

Warning Polygons (a.k.a Storm Warnings) has also received an upgrade:

 Direction, speed, and projected path are now displayed
with convective warnings (Severe, Tornado, and Marine Warnings).

Similar to the Storm Tracks layer, mousing over the track icon
will display a projected path out to 1 hour

Both layers are FREE UPDATES for existing susbscribers:

Warning Polygons

• First remove Warning Polygons from your map (or Storm Warnings if you are using Summer Weather map). 
• On the Map toolbar, click Add Layers > (Browse All Layers) > Severe Weather category.
• Find Warning Polygons and click Add To Map.

Cell Tops

• On the Map toolbar, click Add Layers > (Browse All Layers) > Severe Weather category.
• Find Cell Tops and click Add To Map.

If you need help re-arranging layers on your map, see:

• Video Tutorial on Customizing Maps
• PDF of same tutorial

Numerous tornadoes, including multiple-vortex tornadoes were reported Thursday afternoon and evening across South Dakota and Minnesota as a powerful weather system moved through the Upper Midwest:

Storms are expected to continue overnight before moving into the Mississippi Valley on Friday.