Introduction This is a short step-by-step guide for using the myMap server. On the left you will find the tasks for producing your forecast in chronological order. Note that the myMap server is absolutely unique and allows you to access several hundred Gigabytes of model data in real time over the internet. Something normally only a large national weather service can do using very expensive and specially dedicated workstations. You can compose your own weather maps or get a specific forecast for any location (your home town, the middle of the Atlantic ocean...).

Since myMap server gives you access to many different variables at different height levels and also offers a lot of customization in terms of color tables, intervals, image size and more, it might take some time until you configured the perfect map for your needs. However once configured we strongly recommend to save your settings so that next time you log in you can just choose your favorite maps from the my maps pulldown list without the need for configuration.

 

STEP 1

select forecast model

 Every product generated within myMap server is based on a high resolution 3D weather forecast model. Our plan is to cover the whole world in high resolution. Our own computations currently cover Europe, Central Europe, Southern Africa, North America and South America at the highest resolution currently available. We also make available the GFS model with global coverage (The Earth). Hence the same geographical region can be covered several times. We strongly recommend to use the most specific model for your region of interest. For Example the same forecast map for Switzerland based on Central Europe has 400 times more details than the equivalent based on GFS or about 40 times more detailes than GFS if based on Europe.

THE EARTH  GFS,  global coverage, resolution of 80 km
EUROPE: NMM model, Europe, resolution of 12 km
CENTRAL EUROPE: NMM model, Alps, northern Italy, Pyrenees, Germany, France, resolution of 3 km
SOUTH AMERICA:  NMM model, entire South America, resolution of 18 km
NORTH AMERICA: NMM model, greater North America, resolution of 12 km
AFRICA: NMM model, Southern Africa, resolution of 18 km

 
 

STEP 2

select product type

 The following products are currently available:
  • Meteorological Map (maps covering a specified region showing one or two meteorological parameters, e.g. precipitation and Sea level pressure for a specified time)
  • Meteogram (Temporal evolution of meteorological parameters at a given point. e.g. the weather in London for the next 3 days)
  • Sounding (A Tephi diagram showing the vertical profile of temperature, humidity and wind at a given location and valid time. For experts!)
  • Cross-section (A vertical cross section along a specified line. For experts!)
  • Forward Trajectory (The path a particle will travel when released at a given point and time.)
  • Backward Trajectory (shows for a specified point where a particle came from)
  • Astronomical Seeing prediction (an estimate of how clear the atmosphere is to perform astronomical observations)
 

STEP 3

select area / point

 To select the map area of interest press the left mouse button while moving the cursor on the map.

 

STEP 4

select time-step / valid time

 Maps, vertical soundings and cross-sections are valid for a given time, which can be specified by selecting the day and time. Trajectories can be computed for a parcel (e.g. a fire balloon) released at the specified time. Because the models often cover different time zones the time is specified in UTC. For central Europe, the differences between the local time on your clock an UTC are:

local time = UTC + 2 hours (summer)
local time = UTC + 1 hour (winter)

 

STEP 5

Create your Map / Meteogram, Sounding etc..

 Simply click on make Map

 
 

STEP 6

save a map, location or cross section

 you can save your map settings, cross sections or geographical positions of meteograms, soundings etc. so that you can reproduce it with just one mouse click. To save your settings proceed as follows:

1. Select the area/position, parameters, colors, size, etc. of your new map

2. in the field map name: enter the name your map should have. this name will be shown in the my maps pull-down menu.

3. click SAVE

Note that the valid time is not saved so that the settings can be reused to plot another date/time.

 

Add settings from a mapkey to my Maps

 All settings of a personalized Map are encoded into a mapkey which is shown underneath the generated map. With this mapkey you can send your map settings to your friends so that they can reproduce exactly the same map or they can start from these settings and modify them slightly.

to save the mapkey or let's say to transform a mapkey you received into a map you can choose in the my Maps pulldown menu do the following:

1. copy the mapkey into the field: Create map from mapkey (as if you wanted to plot this map)

2. enter the name for this map (it will be visible in the my Maps pulldown menu) in the field: map name:

3. click save (your map will be stored and is available if you switch to the forecast model/region this mapkey was generated for)

 
load a map, location or cross section to load previously saved settings:

1. select the forecast model

2. select the product type (map, meteogram, cross-section etc.)

3. select the map from the my maps pull-down menu

4. select the time-step (not needed for Meteograms or Astronomy Seeing prediction)

5. click MAKE MAP

 
delete a map it is possible to delete your personal map settings:

1. load the map you want to delete. (it is not necessary to click MAKE MAP)

2. click DELETE and confirm.

 
Change login password The login password can be changed any time:

1. click on my account

2. enter the old password, the new password and confirm it

3. click ok

 
Extend your account Your account including all your personal map settings will be deleted in 15 days. you can however extend your account as follows:

1. click on my account

2 select extension period from the pull-down menu

3. click ok