Importing NOAA Winds - Revision history

Omar at 20:23, 5 February 2015

2015-02-05T20:23:49Z

2015-02-05T20:23:07Z

2014-11-01T11:11:05Z

‎Download Parameters

2014-11-01T04:07:40Z

‎Download Parameters

2014-11-01T04:07:05Z

‎Setting the Number of Forecasts

2014-11-01T04:05:43Z

‎Download Parameters

2014-10-26T23:44:38Z

‎Download Parameters

2014-10-25T09:21:59Z

‎Download Parameters

2014-10-25T09:16:41Z

‎Download Parameters

2014-10-25T09:14:34Z

‎Download Parameters

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:23, 5 February 2015
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	The '''NOAA Import Module''' is started by clicking the '''Winds''' [[File:ToolbarWinds.gif]] button on the main toolbar. (The same button is also available on the '''Wind Grids''' control panel in the "Winds" tab.)		The '''NOAA Import Module''' is started by clicking the '''Winds''' [[File:ToolbarWinds.gif]] button on the main toolbar. (The same button is also available on the '''Wind Grids''' control panel in the "Winds" tab.)

−	Tip: NOAA changed GFS access methods in jan/15. ~~Make sure you update~~ VRTool to the ~~new~~ version to download GFS forecasts.	+	Tip: NOAA changed GFS access methods in jan/15. Update VRTool to the newest version to download GFS forecasts.

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:23, 5 February 2015
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	The '''NOAA Import Module''' is started by clicking the '''Winds''' [[File:ToolbarWinds.gif]] button on the main toolbar. (The same button is also available on the '''Wind Grids''' control panel in the "Winds" tab.)		The '''NOAA Import Module''' is started by clicking the '''Winds''' [[File:ToolbarWinds.gif]] button on the main toolbar. (The same button is also available on the '''Wind Grids''' control panel in the "Winds" tab.)
		+
		+	Tip: NOAA changed GFS access methods in jan/15. Make sure you update VRTool to the new version to download GFS forecasts.

@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 '''Resolution''': This setting determines the forecast interval in hours that the module downloads. The NOAA model produces forecasts at 6-hour intervals, so 6 is the lowest setting you can use for the resolution. If you set it to 12 the module will download every second forecast.
-'''Up to''': Determines the number of forecasts downloaded. The maximum setting of 384 hours will download all of the available weather. On a broadband connection you can happily leave this set on the maximum. Use a reduced value if you know you will reach your destination in less time and you are using a slow connection - this speeds up the download (and has another [[#Setting the Number of Forecasts|more important benefit]]).
+'''Up to''': Determines the number of forecasts downloaded. The maximum setting of 384 hours will download all of the available weather. On a broadband connection you can happily leave this set on the maximum. Use a reduced value if you know you will reach your destination in less time and you are using a slow connection - this speeds up the download.
 {|class="wikitable"
-|''Tip: Although the NOAA GFS generates gribs out to 384 hours (16 days) in the future, VRTool can only access the gribs beyond 192 hours at certain times, which are:''
+|'''''Tip:''' Although the NOAA GFS generates gribs out to 384 hours (16 days) in the future, VRTool can only access the gribs beyond 192 hours at certain times, which are:''
 *''10:45 - 16:00 UTC''

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 [[File:NOAADownloadParamsVORG.gif|right]]'''Time Zone''': Set this to your computer's time zone setting. You can click on the icon to retrieve this automatically. The module uses this setting along with your computer's time to determine the UTC time, which is used to probe the NOAA database for the files with the correct time stamp.
 {|class="wikitable"
-|'''Tip for users in New Zealand:''' ''If your system time zone is set to '''(UTC+12.00) Auckland, Wellington''' the [[File:IconLisa.gif]] icon returns a time zone of '''-12''' during NZST, or '''-13''' during NZDT. You should use these rather odd settings - they work correctly in VRTool.''
+|'''Tip for users in New Zealand:''' ''If your system time zone is set to '''(UTC+12:00) Auckland, Wellington''' the [[File:IconLisa.gif]] icon returns a time zone of '''-12''' during NZST, or '''-13''' during NZDT. You should use these rather odd settings - they work correctly in VRTool.''
 |}

@@ Line 76: / Line 76: @@
 === Setting the Number of Forecasts ===
-[[File:NOAADownloadParamsVORG.gif|right]] When using VRTool your main weather downloads will be at 0400, 1000, 1600 and 2200 UTC, or shortly after. At the start of the hour the new NOAA cycle is only partially finished, usually up to about the +72 hr forecast. If you want longer forecasts than this you have to wait until the later files are available, or the download will fail. For example if you want forecasts out to +180 hrs you have to wait for another half an hour, more or less, before you can start the download.
+[[File:NOAADownloadParamsVORG.gif|right]] When using VRTool your main weather downloads will be at 04:00, 10:00, 16:00 and 22:00 UTC, or shortly after. At the start of the hour the new NOAA cycle is only partially finished, usually up to about the +72 hr forecast. If you want longer forecasts than this you have to wait until the later files are available, or the download will fail. For example if you want forecasts out to +180 hrs you have to wait for another half an hour, more or less, before you can start the download.
 In a close race, even a brief delay in making a course change for future weather can be the difference between winning and losing. So always keep in mind how many hours of forecast you will need to get to your routing end-point and set the forecast '''Up to:''' setting accordingly. This lets you run the download at the earliest possible time.

@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 |''Tip: Although the NOAA GFS generates gribs out to 384 hours (16 days) in the future, VRTool can only access the gribs beyond 192 hours at certain times, which are:''
-*''1130-1600 UTC''
+*''10:45 - 16:00 UTC''
-*''2330-0400 UTC''
+*''22:45 - 04:00 UTC''
 ''At all other times the download will stop at around 192 hours. The reasons for this are explained [[NOAAWinds#Getting long-range forecasts|here]].''

@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 {|class="wikitable"
-|''Tip: Although the NOAA GFS generates gribs out to 384 hours (16 days) in the future, VRTool can only access the gribs beyond 192 hours if you run the import at certain times, which are:''
+|''Tip: Although the NOAA GFS generates gribs out to 384 hours (16 days) in the future, VRTool can only access the gribs beyond 192 hours at certain times, which are:''
 *''0100-0400 UTC''
 *''1300-1600 UTC''
-''At all other times the download will stop at or before 192 hours. The reasons for this are explained [[NOAAWinds#Getting long-range forecasts|here]].''
+''At all other times the download will stop at around 192 hours. The reasons for this are explained [[NOAAWinds#Getting long-range forecasts|here]].''
 |}