Weather severity and characterization system

• US 7,558,674 B1
• Filed: 04/24/2007
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DTN, LLC (TBG AG)
• Original Assignee: WSI Incorporated
• Inventors: Harris, Ron Alan, Crawford, Todd Michael, Callahan, William Joseph, Kleist, Michael Robert, Kozinets, Masha, Neilley, Peter Paul, Bayer, Paul Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond; Edward
• Application Number:
  US11/789,148
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 702/3, 702/4, 702/5, 702/6, 702/14
• US Class Current: 702/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/02 Instruments for indicating weather conditions by measuring two or more variables, e.g. humidity, pressure, temperature, cloud cover or wind speed G01W1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/10 Devices for predicting weather conditions computers per se G06; display devices G09

Abstract

A method of presenting weather phenomenon information including receiving weather data. At least one weather phenomenon represented by the weather data is identified. A plurality of current parameters related to the current state of the at least one weather phenomenon is determined. A plurality of historical parameters corresponding to one or more previous states of the at least one weather phenomenon is associated with the current state of the at least one weather phenomenon if at least one previous state of the at least one weather phenomenon has been identified. A plurality of forecasted parameters for the at least one weather phenomenon is calculated. Characteristics of the at least one weather phenomenon based on at least a first subset of the current parameters, the historical parameters, and the forecasted parameters are displayed.

Claims

1. A method of presenting weather phenomenon information, the method comprising:

(a) receiving weather data;

(b) identifying at least one weather phenomenon represented by the weather data;

(c) determining a plurality of current parameters related to the current state of the at least one weather phenomenon;

(d) associating with the current state of the at least one weather phenomenon a plurality of historical parameters corresponding to one or more previous states of the at least one weather phenomenon if at least one previous state of the at least one weather phenomenon has been identified;

(e) calculating a plurality of forecasted parameters corresponding to at least one future state of the at least one weather phenomenon;

(f) preparing a presentation sequence based on a set of severity indices corresponding to the at least one weather phenomenon; and

(g) displaying, in the presentation sequence, characteristics of the at least one weather phenomenon using an icon that changes during the presentation sequence in response to a change in the characteristics, and at least one of the severity indices corresponding to the at least one weather phenomenon.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(g) transmitting a subset of the plurality of historical, current, and forecasted parameters to an entity, the entity using the subset of parameters to provide a presentation of the weather phenomenon to an end user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a subset of the forecasted parameters are calculated based at least in part on the historical and current parameters.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the forecasted parameters correspond to one or more projected states of the at least one weather phenomenon.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one weather phenomenon is a convective storm.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the convective storm is a thunderstorm.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one weather phenomenon is a convective storm system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one weather phenomenon includes at least one of hurricanes, cold fronts, warm fronts, winter storms, and tornados.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the state of the at least one weather phenomenon represents at least the spatial extent of the weather phenomenon.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the weather data is obtained from at least one primary source and at least one secondary source.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one primary source provides weather radar data and the at least one secondary source provides non-radar weather data, and wherein a subset of the future parameters of the at least one weather phenomenon are determined by synthesizing the data obtained from the at least one primary source and the at least one secondary source.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data obtained from the at least one secondary source includes future predicted data related to the at least one weather phenomenon.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one weather phenomenon includes a convective storm.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the data provided by the at least one secondary source includes 4D gridded Numerical Weather Prediction output comprising at least one of an initialization grid and one or more forecast grids.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the data provided by the at least one secondary source includes output from a lightning detection system.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the data provided by the at least one secondary source includes imaging data from a satellite system.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the data provided by at least one the secondary source includes at least one of damage reports, photographs, and economic effects.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein at least a subset of the current parameters are based on non-radar weather data supplied by the at least one secondary source.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of future parameters includes a subset of the severity indices, the subset generated by analyzing a subset of the plurality of current and future parameters.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of current parameters includes a subset of the severity indices, the subset generated by analyzing a subset of the plurality of current and future parameters.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the set of severity indices represents a potential impact to people or population from different threats associated with the at least one weather phenomenon.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the set of severity indices includes a composite severity index.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the composite severity index represents an aggregate representation of at least two of the severity indices.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the composite severity index is determined for each of the present state and future states of the at least one weather phenomenon.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one severity index in the set of severity indices represents lightning severity of the at least one weather phenomenon.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one severity index in the set of severity indices represents tornado severity of the at least one weather phenomenon.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one severity index in the set of severity indices represents flooding severity of the at least one weather phenomenon.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one severity index in the set of severity indices represents hail severity of the at least one weather phenomenon.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one severity index in the set of severity indices represents wind severity of the at least one weather phenomenon.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the presentation sequence includes a graphic representation of the time variation of at least one of the set of severity indices corresponding to a selection of one of the at least one weather phenomenon.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the icon changes over time in response to a change in the severity of the one or more states of the at least one weather phenomenon determined from the set of severity indices.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein each severity index is an aggregate normalized metric representing observed, measured, and derived information about different threats associated with the at least one weather phenomenon, providing a relative comparative indicator for assessing threat levels between weather phenomena.