Iowa Chaser Radar Information

The radar that is viewed on my webpage is provided by Gibson Ridge software, GRLevel3 to be exact. It is a radar viewer that provides level3 data to the user with several capabilities that no other radar viewers offer. I upload the images that I am viewing to my webpage whenever I am using GR3 and have an internet connection. To ensure that the image is current, please check the date located in the bottom-right corner. Time is listed in zulu time, during the summer months for the central timezone:
Midnight CDT = 0500z
6:00 AM CDT = 1100z
Noon CDT = 1700z
6:00 PM CDT = 2300z

There are several features of the radar that you may not be familiar with, I'll go over briefly what each symbol means when seen on the radar screen. I also have several 'placefiles' that are enabled on my radar, I will explain some of the common ones that might show up when you are watching the radar that I provide.

GR Radar Features: The software has several features that indicate specifics about the storms on radar. Often you will see small white squares with a line located on top of the storms, this is the storm cell as indicated by the radar and the line is the projected path of the cell. Besides the basic storm cell indicator, there are several other icons that you may see that indicate features of the storms.



These icons are hail indicators, from left to right, they are as follows:
Small Hail (<.75") Likely
Small Hail (<.75") Possible
Large Hail (>.75") Likely
Large Hail (>.75") Possible

Other icons are indicators of shear or rotation within the storm, they include:

TVS (Tornado Vortex Signature), Strong rotation indicated throughout a significant layer of the storm. (Inverted Purple Triangle)

ETVS (Elevated TVS), Strong rotation indicated through a large portion of the storm, however not at lower levels. (Inverted Hollow Purple Triangle)

Mesocyclone, Moderate rotation indicated (from all 4 directions) and often indicates storm organization. Different colors represent the strength of the meso, weak to strong from left to right in the image below. Note the dashed lines indicate that the meso is well elevated within the storm.



Warnings are also featured on the images, Tornado Warnings are indicated by a purple outlined polygon; a Severe Thunderstorm Warning is indicated by a red outlined polygon; and a Flash Flood Warning is shown with a green outlined polygon.


Additional Features:

I have two backgrounds that you may see on the radar images, the first is your basic geographic background showing the elevations and contours of the land. The second is a satellite image that is updated every 15 minutes, it will often easily be indicated as a dull black background with you basic satellite type image overlayed.

At times I will have the surface observations overlayed on the radar as well. They will simply have a white circle (possibly filled) and have a wind barb coming out of them. It is used to indicate where a front may be, or simply for me to 'mouse over' them and view the current conditions at that location.

Storm reports are another thing vital to the public and chasers alike, you may see these reports showing up on the radar image as well. A large H, a W or a T indicate a storm report has been received. Of course they indicate large hail, damaging wind and tornado respectively.

Another detail that I enjoy is lightning, this is why I often have a lightning placefile running that is updated frequently indicating where cloud-to-ground strikes have occurred within the past 15 minutes and also older strikes. They are indicated by small 'lightning' icons:


Lastly, and my favorite add-on, is the SpotterNetwork placefile that indicates where several spotters/chasers are located throughout the plains. Often you will be able to watch them move with the storm if you are looking at the radar loops. They are indicated by a small car icon, much like one of the icons listed on the first two lines of this image:



I also will be running a placefile to indicate my location from the others when I'm chasing. This will help you in not only following all of the chasers out there, but in watching my location and where I'm headed. The icon to look for when I'm chasing, will be this one:



All Information, Images and Thoughts that are featured under 'Iowa Chaser' are my own unless otherwise noted.
Any Unauthorized reproduction is stricly prohibited and unwarranted, Copyright 2006 Jayson Prentice.
For Any Information, Please Contact: Jayson Prentice (Jaysonp2005(at)hotmail.com)