Scale for severe weather risk

• US 7,191,064 B1
• Filed: 11/08/2004
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accuweather Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Accuweather Incorporated
• Inventors: Myers, Joel N., Steinberg, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCELHENY JR, DONALD E
• Application Number:
  US10/982,926
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 702/3, 702/4, 702/5, 342/26.R, 342/26.A, 342/26.D, 342/460, 340/601, 340/539.13, 340/539.17, 340/539.2, 340/628, 340/26.R, 340/26.A, 340/26.D, 340/460
• US Class Current: 702/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/00 Meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/10 Devices for predicting weather conditions computers per se G06; display devices G09

Abstract

A method for conveying both a risk and the degree of risk of a severe weather at a particular geographic location is disclosed. The method involves receiving a location of interest from a requestor, forecasting a risk of severe weather for a specific time period associated with the location, computing a degree of severity level of the risk of severe weather for the location, and generating a report containing the risk forecast and the computed severity level that can be delivered or provided to the requestor. The severity level of the risk of severe weather is provided in an easy to understand graphic or other format.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for conveying a risk and degree of severe weather at a location, the method comprising:

(a) receiving over a communications network location information from a requestor indicating the requestor'"'"'s present location at a present time;

(b) converting the location information into geographic coordinates;

(c) identifying present and historical natural phenomenological data associated with an area around the location;

(d) calculating natural phenomenological information associated with the area around the location;

(e) forecasting a risk of severe weather associated with the location for a specific time period that includes at least the present time;

(f) calculating a degree of severity level of the risk of severe weather for the location;

(g) generating a report containing the risk forecast and the calculated severity level for the coordinates; and

(h) communicating the report to the requestor via the communications network or a second communications network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of communicating the report to the requestor is accomplished by providing the report in an electronic file downloadable to a client computer at the requestor'"'"'s location.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the client computer is a mobile phone.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of communicating the report to the requestor is accomplished by delivering the report to a client computer at the requestor'"'"'s location.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the client computer is a mobile phone.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(h) selecting a scale having a plurality of levels of severity;

(i) converting the forecast risk of severe weather and the degree of severity into an index value for the time period; and

(j) assigning the index value to one of the plurality of levels of severity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the severity level is indicated graphically.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the severity level is indicated using indicia.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the severity level is also indicated by position on an axis.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the severity level is also indicated by position on an axis.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the severity level is indicated numerically.

12. A method for conveying a risk and degree of severe weather at a location, the method comprising:

(a) receiving over a communications network geographic location information for a location of interest at a present time;

(b) identifying present and historical weather data associated with an area around the location of interest;

(c) calculating weather data associated with the area around the location of interest;

(d) forecasting a risk of severe weather associated with the location for a specific time period that includes at least the present time;

(e) calculating a degree of severity level of the risk of severe weather for the location of interest;

(f) generating a report containing the risk forecast and the calculated severity level for the geographic location; and

(g) communicating the report via the communications network or a second communications network.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of converting the geographic location information into a position relative to an x-y coordinate system.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of communicating the report is accomplished by storing the report in an electronic file on a server connected to the communications network, such that the electronic file is adapted to being downloaded to a client computer connected to the communications network.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the client computer is a mobile phone.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of communicating the report to the requestor comprises the steps of:

(a) storing the report in an electronic file on a server;

(b) establishing a link from a server to a client computer via the communications network; and

(c) delivering the report to the client computer.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the client computer is a mobile phone.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the severity level is indicated graphically.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the severity level is indicated using indicia.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the severity level is also indicated by position on an axis.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the severity level is also indicated by position on an axis.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the severity level is indicated numerically.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the severity level is also indicated graphically.

24. A computer implemented method of conveying a risk and degree of severe weather at a location, the computer implemented method comprising:

(a) providing at least one server comprising computer readable data storage medium having program code recorded thereon, the server connected to a communications network;

(b) receiving via the communications network a signal representing geographic location information for a location of interest at a present time;

(c) identifying present and historical weather data associated with an area around the location of interest; and

(d) executing the program code to compute weather data, a risk of severe weather for a specific time period that includes at least the present time, and a degree of severity level for the risk of severe weather, corresponding to the location of interest;

(e) outputting a report containing the risk forecast and the computed severity level; and

(f) communicating the report via the communications network.

25. The computer implemented method of claim 24, wherein the communications network is the Internet.

26. The computer implemented method of claim 24, wherein the severity level is indicated graphically.

27. The computer implemented method of claim 26, wherein the severity level is indicated numerically.

28. The computer implemented method of claim 24, wherein the severity level is indicated with color.

29. The computer implemented method of claim 24, wherein the step of communicating the report via the communications network is accomplished verbally in a broadcast network.

30. The computer method of claim 24, further comprising the step of:

(g) receiving the report on a mobile phone via the communications network.