6. Live Super Doppler8 App

Objectives:

The Live Super Doppler8 App is a slick application allowing the display of current and archived RADAR, observations, NWS warnings, and road conditions. The purpose of this lesson is to explore the functionality of this application.

SchoolNet8.com Online Resources:

The Live Super Doppler8 App is directly linked off the homepage, or here:

Online @ SchoolNet8.com

Live Super Doppler8 App

This application contains a lot of features and functionality. The default view looks like this:
Here is a listing of what the various controls do on the side.

• Map Controls:
  These buttons define map operations. You need to select one of the buttons and then click on the map to either zoom the image in or out, recenter the image, zoom it to full extent, or save the map to your Desktop.
• Time Mode:
  The application can run in either 'Live' mode or 'Archive' mode. This allows the ability to look at either current or historical data. By clicking on the button, you can select which option you want.
• Select Plot Variable:
  You can choose which SchoolNet8 weather variable to plot on the map.
• Add + Remove Sites:
  You can dynamically pick which sites are placed on the map. This helps to avoid cluttering the map too much.
• Select RADAR:
  You can select to plot either KCCI's Live Super Dopper8 or a National Weather Service RADAR.
• Show Road Conditions
  Option to show or hide current road conditions.
• Show Site Labels
  Option to show or hide SchoolNet8 site labels. This can help the readability of the map.
• Generate Map
  Button to have your map redrawn.
• Launch Geo-Coder
  This button launches a box allowing you to zoom the map to a location of your choice. You can specify this location by entering a Street Address.
• I need help!
  Launch a window with help information.

Whew! What an exhaustive list of features. The point of the application is to put as much functionality into one place, so you don't have to go to different pages to get different features.

Questions:

1. When you first open the Live Super Doppler8 App, you will see the statewide road conditions and current RADAR. Do you notice any similiarities between the two data layers?
2. By default, only data from the KCCI studios SchoolNet8 site is shown. Select some more sites underneath the 'Add Sites' heading and then 'Generate Map'. Do you notice any differences between the sites?
3. Select a different plot variable and then click the 'Generate Map' button. Do you still notice differences? If there is rainfall in the area, do you notice differences in 'Today Rainfall' between locations that have RADAR activity in the area and those that do not?
4. Click the button that says "Live/Archive Options". A window will open. Click the "Archive Mode" button and select May 24, 2004 at 6PM. Describe what you see.

Possible Answers

1. The answer will depend on the date. If there is rain or snowfall in the area, you should notice some similarities.
2. Again, will depend on date.
3. Depends on the date :).
4. You should notice a bunch of severe warnings. Do these areas match the severe RADAR returns as well?

Other Educational Resources: