In an effort to ensure that you are maximizing
your WSI systems during this hurricane system we have compiled
a collection of tips and techniques that we hope will prove helpful
to users as the storm races onshore.
We’ve also created access
to a wide range of hurricane information that can be used to make
your hurricane story more compelling. |
SUPER IMAGE BASEMAP
Did you know that you can make a “super image” basemap for hurricane
coverage in the WeatherProducer system? This concept allows you to always have
the storm in the center of the image (or offset to one side or another, if that’s
more convenient), without constantly having to create new base maps as the storm
moves. A super image basemap is 2-3 times larger than normal. Since it contains
more digital elevation model (DEM) data (or high resolution satellite imagery
data if you have that option), it can be zoomed in to whatever the window of
interest is without undesirable loss of resolution. When used as a snapshot base
layer of a product within the WeatherProducer application, the product’s
navigation can be quickly re-defined and the product updated. If you want to
learn about how to make a super image basemap, follow
this link |
SKYALERT / TRUEVIEW ALERT CRAWL FROM TEXT FEATURE
SkyAlert and TrueView Alert customers may find a little known feature
particularly useful for generating tropical update crawls. These
products have the ability to generate a crawl from a text message
that you can create using a standard text editor. This feature
allows you to construct a crawl message with your own commentary
about a significant weather event such as the storm’s approach.
To use the “crawl from text’ feature of these products, check out
the following link |
WSI Floater
Images
Remember that WSI issues both IR and Visible floater
sectors to cover the storm, plus a tracking graphic. The following
sectors are available:
IR Sectors (From the Image Type menu, choose IR Images, then
either 30 Minute IR Floater Images, or 15 Minute IR Floater Images |
Sector Name
TROP ATL FLOAT3 (FS)
ATLANTIC FLOAT3 4KM (FS)
|
Description
4Km full-spectrum IR updated every 30 minutes
4Km full-spectrum IR updated every 15 minutes |
Visible Sectors (From the Image Type menu, choose
Visible Images, then either 30 Minute VIS Floater Images, or 15
Minute VIS Floater Images |
Sector Name
TROP ATL FLOAT3 (FS)
TROP ATL FLOAT3 2KM (FS)
2KM US SEVERE
|
Description
4Km full-spectrum Visible updated every 30 minutes
4
2Km full-spectrum Visible updated every 15 minutes
1Km full-spectrum Visible updated every 15 minutes |
Hurricane Tracking Graphic (From the Image Type
menu, choose Custom Graphics, Hurricane Track Imagery) |
Sector Name
HURRICANE TRACK3 |
Description
Official NHC Track Graphic |
TRUEVIEW ALERT / SKYALERT CHECK
While you are testing equipment, it would also be a good time to test your TrueView Alert or SkyAlert severe weather alerting system, if you have one. Make sure the system is up and running, that the proper scene for covering severe events is loaded, etc. Test the “bing box”, and make sure that your master control operators can be alerted to the presence of a triggering bulletin. |
SHOWFX MATERIAL
WSI offers an extensive library of animating icons and words for Showfx that can be used for storm coverage. Depending on the set of source material you have selected, you should have access to movies and icons that depict flooding, beach erosion, tropical storm, high winds, etc. These source material palettes can be accessed from the Showfx button bar on the right hand side (click on the painter’s palette icon just below the word “Help” on the Showfx menu). |
TRUEVIEW COVERAGE
TrueView
Interactive and TrueView Titan, with their live to air capabilities,
live “TrueViewers” and optional in-key
hand tracking technology, can be indispensable for hurricane coverage.
Use the TrueView palette to call up a current weather, or wind
movie. Move the TrueViewer across the landscape, and watch it react
to changing conditions. You can also use Vortex data to show how
conditions will change with the approach of the system.
If you have the TrueView Hand Tracking option, remember that
your footpads can be bound to macros you create. This feature allows
you to define quick access programs that can get you to a wind
or current condition TrueViewer, or into Storm Tracking mode, or
into any of dozens of other functions, with the press of a footpad
while in key. This exclusive technology allows you to cover the
story as it unfolds, live on the air, without having to constantly
go back to the system to re-program it. |
