WXSpots FAQ
 

Share your passion for severe weather!

WXSpots is a free, Internet based system designed to quickly disseminate observed reports of severe weather and provide a friendly, community environment where all can share their weather interest.

What kinds of reports should I submit?

Generally, reports of severe weather as it is occurring, or reports of damage immediately following a storm event should be reported.  Rourtine reports are also welcome during otherwise quiet periods.

I have a weather station.  Can that data be automatically sent through WXSpots?

Yes!  The current output data from your weather station is read once per minute.  Wind speeds of 30 MPH or more will automatically trigger a routine report.  Wind speeds of 50 MPH or more trigger a severe report. Once a report is sent, the program will not automatically report again for 20 minutes.

Leaving WXSpots running and connected to your weather station is a great way to provide severe weather alerts, even when you are sleeping or not home.  The more observers with weather stations that we have continually connected to WXSpots, the better our severe weather monitoring system will be!

Do I have to have a weather station to use WXSpots?

Absolutely not!  First and foremost, WXSpots is designed around real people providing actual observations and sharing their weather interest in a fun, friendly, community environment.

Do I have to be an Amateur Radio operator to use WXSpots?

No, all responsible weather enthusiasts are welcome!  One of the biggest assets of this concept is that it enables many more spotters to send observed reports.

With all the automated data available today, why are observed reports important?

Automated data is extremely valuable, but it doesn’t provide a clear picture of what is happening on the ground as a result of severe weather.  Actual observed reports are better able to describe specifically and precisely the location and magnitude of storm damage.

Lyle, AB8CB writes:

Is WXSpots intended to replace Amateur Radio SkyWarn communications?

Absolutely not!  In a severe weather event, telephone and cable lines break and cell phone systems can lose power or be overwhelmed by demand.  Amateur Radio requires virtually no infrastructure, provides communication when nothing else can and is the backbone of emergency communications.  In a severe weather event, those directly in the affected area who lose Internet connectivity will be unable to access WXSpots.  Amateur Radio is and will continue to be the best option under those circumstances!  WXSpots is just another tool in the tool chest for the SkyWarn participant.

How does WXSpots enhance severe weather communications?

WXSpots provides:

-  The ability to disseminate observations quickly and efficiently anywhere.
-  The ability to add the eyes of SkyWarn enthusiasts who aren't Amateur Radio Operators.
-  An automated, historical record of recent observations.
- The ability to keep tabs on current observations without necessarily being near a radio.
-  A messaging feature to allow for communication with other members of your organization (and other connected users).
 

WXSpots is a tool in the tool chest for those interested in severe weather observations.  By it’s very nature of dependence on the Internet, it can't provide data from a severely affected area.  On the other hand, WXSpots can quickly communicate data from those observers just outside it.  It also provides the means to help monitor local severe weather as it unfolds with many more observers able to communicate what they are seeing.

I'm, only interested in severe weather.  Can I screen out routine reports?

Yes, WXSpots displays all reports by default, but filtering out routine reports is easy.  Just click Settings > Alert and Display Options and then click No under the Display Routine Reports question and you won't see routine reports.

Who receives the reports I submit?

The reports that you send are distributed to every connected user; however, that doesn't mean everyone sees it. Many users have their Alert and Display Options set to only display reports for their state or county, and others are set to only display severe reports.

While weather service offices are welcome to connect to WXSpots, the reality is that they either may not be connected or not have the resources to monitor all the reports flowing through the system.  In many cases, if your local SkyWarn group is using WXSpots, the SkyWarn coordinator for your area may review and select reports to forward to the National Weather Service by other means as he or she believes appropriate.  You should contact your local SkyWarn coordinator to find out how data is being distributed in your area.

You should NEVER assume that reports submitted to WXSpots are received by the National Weather Service or your local SkyWarn organization.  While some SkyWarn organizations use WXSpots to facilitate communication of weather observations, WXSpots should be considered a weather hobbyist service.  Please contact your local National Weather Service office or SkyWarn organization to find out how to submit reports directly to the National Weather Service.

How can WXSpots be used along with over the air reports, especially from mobiles?

One option is to assign one of the stations on the Amateur Radio net that is at home to have the responsibility of entering in field reports for mobile operators.  That is the safest option from the mobile operator's perspective.

I’m only interested in reports for my immediate area.  Can I still use WXSpots?

Yes, WXSpots can be easily configured to screen, display and provide alerts for reports for your state, county, or a list of counties.

Can I use WXSpots to send messages to members of my SkyWarn team?

Yes, WXSpots provides a messaging feature that is easily configurable on the fly.  Just add a group name for your organization, and everyone who has entered the name will receive any messages that you send to the group.  If your group leaves WXSpots running full time, that is a great way to quickly alert them to developing events.

I'm excited about WXSpots and I want to help.  What can I do?

First, be sure to use the service.  The more obervers that we have on line the more valuable it will be. Second, please spread the word!  Please visit the help spread the word link for ideas to promote WXSpots including PowerPoint presentations and sample press release text.

I would love to, and if WXSpots catches on and time allows, I'll do my best to create a satellite server program. Here are the reasons that I'm not heading in the direction of multiple or local servers right now:

1.  Severe weather is often happening somewhere, but not everywhere at once.  I'm operating under the assumption that for the most part, users will connect to WXSpots when they are expecting severe weather and then disconnect after the storm passes.  I know that some users will stay connected, but that will probably be the exception (I certainly may be wrong about this and time will tell).  If most users only connect during forecasted severe weather, local servers would sit idle most of the time consuming PCs, IT resources, etc.  Since only text is being sent (no graphics or large files), one server can easily handle the type of traffic that we are talking about for many, many thousands of users.

2.  I started WXSpots with the hope that this idea will be a help to the Amateur Radio / SkyWarn community, but it has to be structured in a way that minimizes my support time.  For that reason, so far, WXSpots has been designed to run pretty much on "automatic pilot".

In addition to WXSpots, I have a family, "real" job, N3FJP Amateur Radio Logging Software and many other commitments.  Running a network of servers and/or supporting the type of questions that running a server will generate is not something that I have the time to take on.  Users installing the server software would require a lot more support from me. While I hope to cover my costs for WXSpots through user donations and advertisements, I haven't approached this project with income as the primary focus.  To cover my time in server support, I would have to modify the revenue generation strategy.

3.  With the single server plan, NWS, EOC, or anyone else for that matter can log in and monitor as currently configured.  Remember, the posts can be filtered down to county level.  With that filter, it will be as if each county has their own service without the need to spend their time and money on setting up and maintaining a server locally.

4.  With all the data collected and distributed at one server, everyone will have access to all the data without overlap and duplication.

That all having been said, since WXSpots is just getting started, it is too soon to tell whether the concept will take hold or not, and how it will be used.  If it does continue to grow and there is enough interest in individual groups running their own server locally, I will certainly consider making it available.  To cover my support time requirements, I would anticipate implementing an annual licensing fee for the server (the clients would still be free).

Once we see how WXSpots develops, how it is used and the amount of traffic that is handled, we will be in a much better position to decide how best to proceed.
 

  Your donations to help support the server costs and the ongoing development
of both WXSpots and WXWarn are gratefully accepted!
 

Website Design & Maintenance by
Scott & Kimberly Davis
N3FJP & KA3SEQ - www.n3fjp.com

Copyright 2007