WeatherStudio is a neat little program that uses lower-resolution Level III data in conjunction with satellite and model data imagery in order to provide users with a complete analysis tool rather than just a look at radar data.
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The pathcast-the cone and blue box shown in the snapshot at the top of this section-allows you to use the storm's motion and speed to determine at what time that part of the storm will reach cities in the cone.Īlthough it's a bit pricier than it's worth, StormLab is a pretty good program for people looking for solid radar software without all of the fancy analysis tools that Gibson Ridge provides. While you can't take a vertical cross-section or create a 3D rendering of storms, the Supercharged version comes with a "pathcast" much like you would see on the local news. StormLab Supercharged is similar to GR2A, using super-resolution Level II data to give users a better look at storms than the cheaper version. The program also features an "auto-archive" feature, which their site claims to save radar imagery to your computer when you're away. The cool thing about this program is that it comes with audio alerts to warn users when the a storm gains certain attributes (hail or rotation, for example). StormLab Standard is similar to GRLevel3, featuring Level III radar data and some barebones tools to track precipitation. However, as of this post, both versions were on sale with Standard going for $75 and Supercharged for $130. Cost:Ī one-time fee of $100 for Standard and $179.95 for Supercharged. Out of all of the programs on this list, StormLab is likely the closest and most powerful behind the Gibson Ridge products. Another popular piece of software weather enthusiasts use is called StormLab. While it's the most popular, Gibson Ridge certainly doesn't have a monopoly on weather radar programs.
Overall, the Gibson Ridge programs are the most powerful on the market, and if you're willing to drop a chunk of change for GR2a or the cost of a new video game (plus a pizza) on GRLevel3, your inner weather geek will be more than satisfied. Smoothing is generally frowned upon by purist weather geeks, but it's necessary in GRLevel3 in order to look past the pixelated precipitation. Here's another example using a shield of rain over western Iowa: They're of the same storm in Nebraska earlier this week. To help you visualize the different in resolution between Level II and Level III radar data, take a look at the images I used at the top of the GR2A and GRLevel3 sections. In addition to being able to see NEXRAD storm attributes (including storm tracks), users can also view rainfall estimates (in one-hour, three-hour, and storm total increments), composite reflectivity (which combines all radar sweeps into one image), as well as low-resolution dual-polarization data. The program uses Level III radar data, which has a much lower resolution than Level II data but comes with a few more products. GRLevel3 is GR2A's less expensive and less powerful twin. It's a bit pricey at $250, but it's well worth it. The powerful features included in GR2A, along with its Landsat backgrounds and extreme level of customization, makes this program the best of the best. The result is a three-dimensional look at the storm, and the product is often extremely interesting (and useful in a forecast setting). The coolest feature in the program is the volume explorer, which takes into account all 13-15 radar sweeps and extrapolates the precipitation down between the layers. This is great for supercells and other storms of interest. GR2A also features a cross-section tool that lets you slice features in half and view their internal workings. The biggest feature that comes with GR2A is its ability to display super-resolution Level II radar data, which is a resolution four times higher than Level III data (which is what you commonly see). The software is what I use to post radar images here on The Vane, and GR2A is just as awesome as it is powerful. The program is so powerful that even the National Weather Service uses it as a supplement to their own suite of software. GRLevel2 Analyst (or GR2A) is a program produced by Gibson Ridge, and it is the cream of the crop when it comes to weather radar programs.
Let's take a look at the best (and the worst) weather radar programs. Trying to judge which one is the best can be tough, and each has its strengths and weaknesses. If you're a weather geek and have a few bucks to burn, there are quite a few excellent weather radar programs available for download.
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