Automated weather map display
Encyclopedia
Weather map
A weather map displays various meteorological features across a particular area at a particular point in time. Such maps have been in use since the mid-19th century and are used for research and weather forecasting purposes. Maps using isotherms show temperature gradients, which can help locate...
s or other images for public viewing. The maps may be accessed interactively or a series of maps may be displayed continuously as a loop. Once the maps or webcam
Webcam
A webcam is a video camera that feeds its images in real time to a computer or computer network, often via USB, ethernet, or Wi-Fi.Their most popular use is the establishment of video links, permitting computers to act as videophones or videoconference stations. This common use as a video camera...
images are downloaded from public sites, they are shown using the full screen of the computer display. At a pre-determined interval, usually an hour, the display program stops, the images are deleted and new images are downloaded. Once downloaded, the display program displays the updated maps. The system is usually used in schools or libraries and other public areas and is ideal for science-oriented display case
Display case
A display case is a cabinet with one or often more transparent glass sides and/or top, used to display objects for viewing, for example in an exhibition, museum, house, in retail, or a restaurant. Often labels are included with the displayed objects, providing information...
s and travel center booths. It is a common fixture in many rest areas along interstate highways. In an educational setting, the maps allow students to see the relationship between global weather patterns and the weather that they experience. It can also be used to display weather warnings.
A working system
The weather map display system at the Department of Geography / Geology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha has been in continuous operation since 1999. Consisting of six Apple Macintosh computers, some dating to 1992 and with as little as 32 MB of memory, the system uses CronCron
Cron is a time-based job scheduler in Unix-like computer operating systems. Cron enables users to schedule jobs to run periodically at certain times or dates...
and Applescript
AppleScript
AppleScript is a scripting language created by Apple Inc. and built into Macintosh operating systems since System 7. The term "AppleScript" may refer to the scripting system itself, or to particular scripts that are written in the AppleScript language....
to perform certain operations every hour. Files that are downloaded include GIF or JPEG images that display current weather conditions, including NEXRAD
NEXRAD
NEXRAD or Nexrad is a network of 159 high-resolution Doppler weather radars operated by the National Weather Service, an agency of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration within the United States Department of Commerce...
radar, lightning strikes, weather warnings and watches. Once the files are downloaded to a folder, JPEGView
JPEGView
JPEGView was a popular image viewer for Mac OS in the 1990s by Aaron Giles. Initially released in 1991 it was one of the first internet image viewers for Mac OS. The program was also the first postcardware. Giles said he had "received somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 postcards"...
displays the files in a continuous loop. After an hour, JPEGView
JPEGView
JPEGView was a popular image viewer for Mac OS in the 1990s by Aaron Giles. Initially released in 1991 it was one of the first internet image viewers for Mac OS. The program was also the first postcardware. Giles said he had "received somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 postcards"...
stops, the weather maps are deleted a new set of maps are downloaded. JPEGView
JPEGView
JPEGView was a popular image viewer for Mac OS in the 1990s by Aaron Giles. Initially released in 1991 it was one of the first internet image viewers for Mac OS. The program was also the first postcardware. Giles said he had "received somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 postcards"...
starts again and the new maps are displayed.
The specific computers used in the weather map display system are two Macintosh IIvx
Macintosh IIvx
The Macintosh IIvx was the last of the Macintosh II series of Macintosh computers from Apple. The IIvx included either a 40, 80, 160 or 400 MB hard drive, three NuBus slots, and a Processor Direct Slot. It was the first Macintosh to have a metal case and the first case design of any personal...
computers built in 1992, a Macintosh LC III from 1993, a Macintosh Centris 610 from 1994 and two Power Macintosh 8500
Power Macintosh 8500
The Power Macintosh 8500 was a high-end Macintosh personal computer designed, manufactured and sold by Apple Computer from 1995 until 1997. Billed as a high-end graphics computer, the Power Macintosh 8500 was also the first Macintosh to ship with a replaceable daughtercard...
computers built in 1995 that display animated weather maps. Software includes Okey Dokey Pro, Cron
Cron
Cron is a time-based job scheduler in Unix-like computer operating systems. Cron enables users to schedule jobs to run periodically at certain times or dates...
, JPEGView
JPEGView
JPEGView was a popular image viewer for Mac OS in the 1990s by Aaron Giles. Initially released in 1991 it was one of the first internet image viewers for Mac OS. The program was also the first postcardware. Giles said he had "received somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 postcards"...
, and Applescript
AppleScript
AppleScript is a scripting language created by Apple Inc. and built into Macintosh operating systems since System 7. The term "AppleScript" may refer to the scripting system itself, or to particular scripts that are written in the AppleScript language....
. QuickTime Pro is used for the animated weather map display.