Easy Desktop Radar System

Intro: Easy Desktop Radar System

Okay,
So you(I) live in a part of the US where there is alot of snow, and storms. You(I) need a easy radar system to use on my computer which will be updated and will be easier than loading a weather page online. You(I) look online and find some GIS radar systems but dont want to pay mega $$$.$$ for a good HQ GIS system. So lets go low(high) tech using free software.

STEP 1: Software(freeware) Needed

Here is a small list of the software you need.

-Google Earth Download Here

Thats all.

STEP 2: Get KML

Next you will need the radar feed, this is in the form of a KML file.

Use this link and select a few radars in your area using ctrl and clicking a few in your area. next highlight the long and short range reflecttivity at bottom and click submit.

Now once you click submit you will get a pop up box for downloading the file. Click save then save in a spot(see pic 2)

STEP 3: Import Into Google Earth

Next open google earth(once installed). Click file>open then select your file you saved.

STEP 4: DONE

Congrats, you just finished. You may need you reboot google earth but then it should look like the picture below. The image refreshes every 2 minutes.

Mess around with the KVM generator and try stuff like precipitation and warnings.

Comments

[Cajundweeb]

The National Weather Service radar site that lets you download KMLs does not exist anymore- the link provided redirects to a page where you can view the live radars for the entire continental USA

[dcutter1]

I'm not sure but my google earth already had a weather box to click. Is that what you added or was it there already?

[gfdsgfds444]

I dont know what version you have, but my version didn't have a weather button

[shooby]

The title is a little misleading, I thought initially that this would make a live feed radar desktop, but it's just google earth. How much faster is it to refer to a web page, as opposed to opening google earth?

[Scott_Tx]

firefox with a 'reload every x minutes' add on would work just as well. I was expecting use of WGET and some form of desktop refresh. silly me.

[gfdsgfds444]

But, google earth does have HQ views of your area. In some views this could be better

[Instroman]

This is awsome!

[gfdsgfds444]

Well... a live feed for a regular person to get would be extremely hard. The fastest way of course would be to buy a dopplar dish. Well those are redily avalible :) NOAA, which supplies all data to the NWS and weather.com can only supply data every 2 min. Depending on the speed of your computer, my google earth can load in 5 seconds, but to open ffox and type in noaa then type my zip, would take at least 45 seconds. So you decide

[conrad2468]

Shame....either google beat you to the punch or google stole your idea.....

[dung0beetle]

You could subscribe to arcamax weather and get a live feed in your email every day. Just enter your zip code and it shows a map with the radar overlay.