Current weather/sky conditions feature request

[Sandro]

Hello,
I don't think it's a "must have" feature cause it can be "easily" done by some web coding based on logs but it would be nice to have a function included in Cumulus (and webtags ) to show the current weather conditions and sky condition. If people have a solar data they could easily "detect" from that the sky condition : some clouds, cloudy, overcast etc.. and for those who don't have it they would use the nearest METAR updates. When some event occurs which the station can detect like light rain, showers, rain, heavy rain, thunderstorm those values override the METAR.
This is completely a web related thing, if a visitor sees the current conditions in your web page I think it would a lot more instructive to know what exactly is going on in weather terms, not only temp and hum!

[6719jason]

I think I know which feature you would like: Something like in the screenshot below - The Red Circle

example.png

Im am quite certain that, its more a nowcast by looking at current conditions.

[beteljuice]

Methinks a webcam would be easier and cheaper

But if you are going to import METAR, why not use something like http://repkasoft.com/wimo/hpPal/setup.htm ?

But then for some people the nearest station isn't, and may only report a few times a day / or not at night !

[Sandro]

I think I know which feature you would like: Something like in the screenshot below - The Red Circle

example.png

Im am quite certain that, its more a nowcast by looking at current conditions.

Yes, I was a WD user and that comes from WD

[6719jason]

Thats right, It does indeed. Im sure a Cumulus version wouldnt take too long to do.

[gemini06720]

...Im sure a Cumulus version wouldnt take too long to do...

Some people (quite a few and not just me) are trying 'import' some of the Weather Display functions into the Cumulus environment...

My main problem is that I have very little knowledge of Ajax and JavaScript and both are needed to make the pages interactive...

[callum91]

I think a good feature would be like a manual observers register where we can enter our own observations including present weather, cloud amount, cloud type and cloud base. This could then be uploaded to the website in a seperate box or page.

[gemini06720]

...I think a good feature would be like a manual observers register where we can enter our own observations including present weather, cloud amount, cloud type and cloud base. This could then be uploaded to the website in a seperate box or page...

Well, Mr Callum, that procedure would be good for 'old retired gentlemen' with nothing else to do but look at the sky while sipping their Sherry...

Since there a so few (or none at all) of those 'old retired gentlemen' in these forums, then the information uploaded to the Web pages would have to be automatically produced (calculated?) by Cumulus with possibly an option to manually enter external observations...

[steve]

I think a good feature would be like a manual observers register where we can enter our own observations including present weather, cloud amount, cloud type and cloud base. This could then be uploaded to the website in a seperate box or page.

Like the 'Weather Diary', you mean?

[callum91]

I think a good feature would be like a manual observers register where we can enter our own observations including present weather, cloud amount, cloud type and cloud base. This could then be uploaded to the website in a seperate box or page.

Like the 'Weather Diary', you mean?

A bit like that but with a web tag so you can show it on the website and specific drop down menus to fill boxes with parameters and perhaps certain boxes could auto-fill from the current data such as temperature and dewpoint so that we just select the current sky conditions and weather?

...I think a good feature would be like a manual observers register where we can enter our own observations including present weather, cloud amount, cloud type and cloud base. This could then be uploaded to the website in a seperate box or page...

Well, Mr Callum, that procedure would be good for 'old retired gentlemen' with nothing else to do but look at the sky while sipping their Sherry...

Since there a so few (or none at all) of those 'old retired gentlemen' in these forums, then the information uploaded to the Web pages would have to be automatically produced (calculated?) by Cumulus with possibly an option to manually enter external observations...

You would only have to produce manual observations once or twice per day or whenever you can (it's only optional) and the rest of the time you could leave it as it is (without the present weather or sky conditions). I can't see any way of software calculating sky conditions or present weather.

Regards

Callum

[steve]

A bit like that but with a web tag so you can show it on the website and specific drop down menus to fill boxes with parameters and perhaps certain boxes could auto-fill from the current data such as temperature and dewpoint so that we just select the current sky conditions and weather?

The current 'diary' is an XML file, so I suppose you could upload that to a web site and write some nifty code to process it. I'm not sure whether I'll be enhancing the current one or just providing something better in Cumulus 2.

[TNETWeather]

What file is the diary in?

Found it, nevermind

[steve]

What file is the diary in?

It's log.xml, in the data folder.

[Sandro]

When I re-make my weather website in Jan im gonna try to do this current sky condition things along with the METAR (it's really near to me and the clouds condition are very similar 90% of the times)

I'm gonna do something like ...

if precipitations are < 0.0 mm use the METAR data for the clouds and fog (the METAR does output those values)
if prep > 0.0 mm you can start printing light rain, heavy rain, storm depeding on the last rain and rain rate. It should be easy to do I just need an official "data table" to see when rain is considered light or heavy in mm.

The ajax and PHP thing should be really easy too with the help of jQuery framework now You just need a good PHP script along that does those calculations above...if you want a really live feed.

[PaulMy]

Anyone using the manual Current Conditions and uploading, so I can have a look?

Paul