[Go to Previous] [Go to Next]


Displaying Level III Radar Imagery

This section describes how to make displays using NWS WSR-88D Level III data.

Image 1: Level III Radar Display Overlaid with Range Rings
Image 1: Level III Radar Display Overlaid with Range Rings

The steps include:

Choosing Radar Image Data from a Remote Server

In the Data Explorer window, select the Data Sources tab. On the left side of this tab, select Radar->Level III from the list of available choosers. For more information about the Level III radar chooser, see Choosing NEXRAD Level III Radar Data.

Image 2: Data Sources Tab of the Data Explorer
Image 2: Data Sources Tab of the Data Explorer
  1. Choose the ADDE Server: adde.ucar.edu and the Dataset: RTNEXRAD.
  2. Server and DataSet Selection
  3. Press Connect to query the server for available radars types:
  4. Connect button
  5. Select a radar product, such as N0R - Base Reflectivity Tilt 1, from the pull-down menu.
  6. Level III Radar Product
  7. The map shows the available radar station locations and IDs. Select one by clicking on it.
  8. Radar map station selection panel

    The Declutter checkbox allows you to show all stations (not checked), or only a limited number of stations that do not overlap each other (checked). You will need to zoom in to see all the stations without overlaps.

  9. You can choose a relative set of times steps (e.g., Last 5 times) or absolute times (see step 6):
  10. Relative tab of the Times menu
  11. You can choose a set of absolute times:
  12. Absolute tab of the Times menu
    When choosing absolute times for the first time McIDAS-V needs to query the ADDE server for the times. This may take some time. To select more than one time use Control+click or Shift+click.

  13. When done, load the selected radar data with the Add Source button.
  14. Add Source button
Creating the Radar Display

The radar data source that you selected will be shown in the Field Selector tab of the Data Explorer.

Image 3: Field Selector Tab of the Data Explorer
Image 3: Field Selector Tab of the Data Explorer

Open up the Digital Accumulation Array tab under the Fields panel (Dropdown tab to reveal components of the individual field) to select a data type. Select "Image display" in the Displays panel under Imagery, and make the display by clicking the Create Display button button.

You can add Range Rings with the Display->Add Range Rings menu item. To control the looping of the images in the Main Display window, use the Time Animation Widget.


[Go to Previous] [Go to Next]