ChaseBuddy
v1.0.6
Info
Radar
Satellite
Lightning
Model data
Observation
Stormtracking
Space Weather
Shoot locations
This app is provided as a free, community-driven, non-commercial service. All information displayed is sourced or derived from publicly available open data.
While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, no guarantee is made regarding the completeness, reliability, accuracy, or availability of the data. Weather conditions can change rapidly, and the data presented in this app may be delayed, incomplete, or inaccurate.
This app is intended for informational use only and should not be relied upon as your sole source of weather information while storm chasing. Storm chasing is inherently dangerous. You are solely responsible for your own safety, decisions, and actions.
By using this app, you acknowledge and agree that its developers and contributors are not liable for any loss, injury, damage, or consequences arising from the use of, or reliance upon, the information provided. Use of the app is entirely at your own risk.
This app is a free, community-driven project created by and for weather enthusiasts. We respect your privacy and keep things simple: we only use the data we truly need to make the app work.
1. What Data We Use
- Geolocation: Your device's GPS position is used to show where you are on the map and to help with storm tracking.
- Camera & Photos: If you choose to add a sky photography viewpoint, the app may access your device's camera or photo library. These images are uploaded to our database and become part of a shared list of shooting locations accessible to all users.
- Cookies / Local Storage: We use small technical cookies or local storage to remember your settings (like map layers or preferences). These stay on your device.
2. How We Use It
- Location Data: Used only inside the app to provide real-time features. It is not logged or stored by us unless you voluntarily attach it to a photo when adding a viewpoint.
- Uploaded Images: Photos you upload are stored in our database and displayed in the app's shared viewpoints list for other users. We do not analyze these images for advertising or profiling purposes. However, we may perform a basic quality check to ensure the feature is used appropriately and to prevent misuse.
- Cookies / Local Storage: Only used to save your app state and make your experience smoother. Not used for tracking or advertising.
3. What We Don't Do
- We don't sell or share your personal data with third parties.
- We don't use your data for ads, profiling, or analytics.
- We don't collect names, emails, or other personal info unless you voluntarily provide it when uploading content.
4. Your Choices
- You can turn off location access in your device settings at any time (though some features may not work without it).
- You can choose not to upload any photos or viewpoints — this feature is completely optional.
- You can clear cookies/local storage in your browser or device settings whenever you like.
- If you want a previously uploaded image removed, you can contact us and request deletion.
5. Updates
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted here. Please review this page periodically to stay informed about how we handle your data.
Last updated: September 7, 2025
Product
The GII product consists of a set of indices which describe atmospheric air mass instability in cloud free areas.
The Lifted-Index (LI) is one of the four common instability indices included in GII, and it is defined as follows:
LI = T(ambient at 500hPa) – T(parcel lifted to 500hPa)
Where T is the temperature at the indicated levels.
Applications
Nowcasting and short term forecasting (up to 12 hours). Resolution is 3x3 pixels.
These indices are highly empirical in nature and might even be only relevant in certain geographic regions or under certain circumstances.
The algorithm is a physical retrieval scheme developed at EUMETSAT.
Product
The FCI High Resolution Fast Imagery (HRFI) IR10.5 μm channel provides measurements of emitted thermal radiation from the Earth–atmosphere system.
Being an infrared window channel, it is mainly sensitive to the surface and cloud-top temperatures and is available during both day and night.
Brightness temperature (BT) values derived from radiance are expressed in Kelvin which we transposed to °C.
Colder cloud tops (e.g. convective storms) appear with lower BT values, while warmer surfaces and low-level clouds show higher BT values.
Applications
• Monitoring of convective storm development through cold cloud tops.
• Nighttime cloud detection and tracking.
• Estimation of cloud-top height and storm intensity.
• General meteorological observation over land and sea.
The HRFI service provides imagery every 15 minutes over the full Earth disk from 0° geostationary orbit.
The IR10.5 μm channel is a cornerstone for nowcasting, storm tracking, and as input for multispectral RGB composites.
Product
The FCI High Resolution Fast Imagery (HRFI) Water Vapor 6.2 μm channel observes thermal radiation mainly emitted by water vapor in the upper troposphere.
Enhanced color scales are applied to highlight humidity patterns and dynamic atmospheric features such as jet streams, upper-level troughs, and regions of subsidence & rising vertical motion.
Brightness temperature differences indicate relative moisture content and vertical motion in the mid to upper atmosphere.
Dry, subsiding air masses appear with warmer (higher BT) colors, while moist, ascending regions show colder (lower BT) values.
Applications
• Identification of jet streams, upper-level divergence, and potential vorticity features.
• Tracking of water vapor transport and moisture plumes.
• Monitoring convective development environments.
• Investigating vertical motion within the atmosphere.
• Support for severe weather nowcasting and model verification.
We provide new imagery every 15 minutes over Europe.
The enhanced WV6.2 μm channel is especially useful when combined with other infrared and visible bands in RGB composites.
Product
The Grayscale Infrared (IR) product displays thermal radiation emitted by the Earth–atmosphere system in the infrared window region around 10.2μm.
It provides brightness temperature information with a simple grayscale mapping: colder features appear lighter, while warmer surfaces and clouds appear darker.
This product contains no enhancements, allowing direct interpretation of raw thermal IR data.
Applications
• Monitoring cloud-top temperatures and identifying deep convection.
• Tracking low-level and high-level cloud patterns.
• Nighttime cloud observation and surface temperature estimation.
• Support for basic meteorological analysis and nowcasting.
The Grayscale IR product is made available each 15 minutes over continental Europe & the Atlantic Ocean.
Its simplicity makes it suitable as a baseline IR layer or as basic cloud visualisation during day and night.
Product
The EUMETSAT Convection RGB product combines multiple spectral channels to highlight deep convective clouds and cloud-top properties.
This RGB composite typically uses:
• Red: Infrared 10.8 μm, Emphasizes cold cloud tops.
• Green: Water Vapor 6.2 μm, Highlights upper-level moisture and dynamics.
• Blue: Near-Infrared 0.8 μm (daytime), Enhances cloud texture and optical thickness.
Bright Yellow:
Signifies strong updrafts with very small ice particles at the cloud top, common in developing and active thunderstorms.
Red - Orange
Indicates larger ice particles within the cloud, often seen in mature or dissipating convective cells.
Applications
• Detection and monitoring of deep convection and thunderstorms.
• Identification of overshooting cloud tops, convective cores, and severe weather potential.
• Support for nowcasting and short-term forecasting (up to 12 hours).
• Useful for aviation hazard assessment and convective storm tracking.
The Convection RGB product is derived from MTG FCI or MSG SEVIRI channels, and we provide it with a 15 min interval over Continental Europe & the Atlantic Ocean.
Its strength lies in visually enhancing the convective features that are often difficult to identify in single-channel infrared imagery.
Limitations & considerations
• The Convection RGB is a daytime product and is most effective during the noon hours. Night-time storms can not be monitored
• Sun reflection can sometimes artificially increase the 3.9 µm channel, leading to a false yellow.
• Non-convective features like high-altitude mountain wave clouds or dust-laden air masses can also produce small ice particles and appear yellow.
• It is less effective at clearly distinguishing low-level clouds or surface conditions, and thin cirrus clouds need to be distinguished from vigorous convection.
• Geometric distortion and reduced spatial resolution become a factor, the more the viewing angle increases
Product
The HRV RGB (High Resolution Visible) is a blueish-yellow-color-like composite derived from the high-resolution visible channel(s) of EUMETSAT geostationary imagers.
It provides a detailed daytime view of clouds, land surface, and coastal/ocean features with very high spatial fidelity.
This RGB composite typically uses:
Red:
High-resolution visible channel (cloud optical thickness)
Green:
High-resolution visible channel (cloud optical thickness)
Blue:
High-resolution inverted IR 10.8µm channel (cloud top & land/sea temperature)
The result is a natural, intuitive image that emphasises cloudtops & distinguishes low & high level clouds. We present these imagery at a 15 min interval.
Applications
• Daytime monitoring of cloud texture, convective initiation, and cloud-top detail.
• Identification of fog, low stratus, and coastal/land features.
• Aviation situational awareness (turbulence-related cloud textures, cloud tops/edges).
• Short-term nowcasting where fine spatial detail is required & height distinction is valuable
Product
The Rapidly Developing Thunderstorms (RDT) product automatically detects, tracks, and characterizes convective cells using geostationary satellite data.
It highlights storms that are rapidly intensifying or have potential for severe weather. Output includes storm cell location, motion, and intensity attributes.
It doesn't use a colorscale as typical satellite products would, but visualises the RDT by red contours with the contourlabel being the cloud top temperature.
RDT is based on cloud-top analysis from infrared channels, supplemented by multispectral information. Detected cells are tracked over time and analyzed for growth trends. Attributes such as cloud-top cooling rates, overshooting tops, and expansion are used as indicators of thunderstorm development.
Applications
• Early detection of rapidly intensifying convective storms.
• Nowcasting severe thunderstorms and aviation hazards.
• Monitoring storm motion and lifecycle in near real-time.
• Support for warning services and severe weather preparedness.
Characteristics & Limitations
• Provides storm object-based information instead of pixel-based imagery.
• Very effective for identifying rapidly developing convection.
• Limited reliability in regions with very thin cirrus cover or complex cloud scenes.
• Dependent on satellite viewing angle: detection performance decreases at the edge of the coverage area.
• Product availability: only during daytime and early evening when convection is most relevant (depending on configuration).
Product
The Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) onboard Metop-B and Metop-C is a C-band radar instrument that measures surface wind speed and direction over the global oceans.
ASCAT retrieves wind vectors by analyzing microwave backscatter from the ocean surface, which is modulated by wind-driven roughness.
Methodology
The instrument uses multiple antenna beams to scan the ocean surface. By comparing backscatter from different viewing angles, surface wind speed and direction can be derived.
Wind vectors are retrieved at 25 km resolution, with swath widths of about 550 km per side of the satellite ground track.
Applications
• Monitoring of ocean surface winds for marine forecasting.
• Detection of gale- and storm-force winds over open waters.
• Assimilation into Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models.
• Identification of tropical cyclones, extratropical storms, and jet-level features over the oceans.
• Climate studies and long-term wind climatology datasets.
Characteristics & Limitations
• Spatial resolution: 25 km and 12.5 km products available.
• Swath coverage: ~550 km on each side of the track (gap at nadir).
• Land and sea ice surfaces strongly affect retrieval quality — valid winds only over open ocean.
• Rain contamination can reduce accuracy, particularly in tropical regions.
• Near real-time availability: Has a delay of a few hours, yet still has value in completing the picture of atmospheric motion.
Product
Live lightning strike detections from the Blitzortung network. Each strike is displayed in real time as a visual flash and an expanding circle to emphasize the discharge moment.
Visualization
Unlike historical rendering, no age trail is stored. Each new lightning strike appears as:
• A short, bright flash at the strike location.
• An expanding circle that fades as it grows, representing the instantaneous nature of the strike.
Applications
• Immediate visual alert of new lightning strikes.
• Enhanced situational awareness for nowcasting.
• Ideal for live displays and public-facing visualizations.
Limitations
• No history of past strikes is shown.
• Useful for presence/alert but not for analyzing storm evolution.
• Coverage and accuracy depend on Blitzortung station density.
Product
Lightning strike clusters detected in real time from the Blitzortung network. Clusters are identified when a minimum of 10 strikes occur within a 10-minute moving time window.
Visualization
Each cluster is outlined with a convex hull polygon surrounding the group of strikes. The polygon color reflects the total strike count within the cluster.
• Polygons = active storm cells
• Color scale = lightning activity (strike count)
• Time window = last 10 minutes
Applications
• Identifying and tracking active thunderstorm cells.
• Estimating storm coverage and intensity by lightning frequency.
• Supporting nowcasting and severe weather awareness.
Limitations
• Clusters may merge or split rapidly in highly dynamic situations.
• Strike detection depends on Blitzortung station coverage.
• No direct information on storm severity beyond lightning count.
Product
Extrapolated thunderstorm tracks based on detected lightning clusters. The system projects storm motion into the future by drawing successive polygons along the forecast path.
Visualization
• Polygons represent the predicted storm position in 15-minute steps.
• The polygons widen with lead time to illustrate increasing positional uncertainty.
• The widening & extrapolation length is governed by a confidence score derived from recent cluster behavior.
• Polygon colors reflect the lightning count of the parent cluster, using the same scale as real-time clusters.
• Time horizon: successive steps into the future (e.g. +15 min, +30 min, +45 min).
• Width = uncertainty
• Color = lightning activity
Applications
• Anticipating thunderstorm movement and potential impact areas.
• Supporting short-term decision making in aviation, events, and emergency response.
• Visualizing storm evolution alongside current cluster activity.
Considerations
• Extrapolation assumes storms continue along their current trajectory; Changes in movement will adapt while confidence can grow & shrink.
• Strongly evolving or dissipating clusters may reduce forecast reliability.
• Storms can merge & split which might (temporarily) affect the clustering and the confidence score.
Product
The Thunderstorm Deviation Detection system monitors the motion of identified lightning clusters and storms. If a storm deviates more than 15° from its expected trajectory, it is flagged as a potentially unstable system with increased risk for severe weather.
Visualization
• Deviating storms are marked with a pulsating red exclamation mark on the map.
• The alert signifies that the storm’s motion is unusual, potentially injecting additional helicity and favoring right-moving storm behavior.
• This visual alert allows users to quickly identify storms with higher potential for severe weather events.
• Deviation threshold: >15° from forecast trajectory
• Symbol: pulsating red exclamation mark
• Effect: increased likelihood of severe weather (hail, strong winds, tornadoes)
Applications
• Rapid identification of storms behaving unexpectedly.
• Supporting nowcasting of severe weather events.
• Prioritizing alerts for aviation, emergency management, and public safety.
Limitations
• Only monitors deviation from predicted motion — does not provide direct severity metrics.
• Accuracy depends on reliable cluster tracking and motion prediction.
• Small deviations in slow-moving or weak storms may produce false positives.
Product
History of lightning strike detections from the Blitzortung network. Each strike is timestamped and displayed on the map in near real-time.
Strike ages are represented on a grayscale scale from 0–100 in 20-minute intervals.
Light theme
newest strikes appear darkest, fading lighter with age.
Dark theme
newest strikes appear lightest, fading darker with age.
Applications
• Real-time storm detection and tracking.
• Identifying areas of active convection.
• Supporting nowcasting and severe weather monitoring.
Limitations
• Coverage depends on station density (better over Europe, NA, AU; weaker elsewhere).
• Only detects lightning, not thunderstorm intensity or cloud features.
• Does not distiniguish between CG, CC, IC or polarity. • Occasional false detections possible.
Product
Forecast polygons representing the probability of visible aurora at the current time. The polygons are generated using the NOAA Novation model and show areas where auroral activity is most likely.
Visualization
• Polygons are colored according to aurora probability (e.g., low → high probability).
• Updates in near real-time based on latest geomagnetic inputs.
• Provides an immediate overview of where aurora is likely visible.
Applications
• Planning aurora observations.
• Public awareness and live aurora monitoring.
• Integrating with space weather alerts.
Limitations
• Only shows probability, not exact aurora structure or color.
• Fine-scale variations may not be captured.
• Accuracy depends on upstream geomagnetic and solar wind data.
Product
Red aurora range rings drawn around your current GPS location. Rings correspond to the elevation angles (10°, 25°, 45°) at which the aurora would intersect the height where red auroral emissions occur.
Visualization
• Concentric rings indicate the maximum visible range at the given elevation angles.
• Helps estimate where the red aurora can be observed from your position.
• Rings are drawn dynamically around your current GPS location.
Usage
If any of the aurora range rings intersects the aurora probabilities you can read the probability of seeing the red aurora colors at given elevation.
Applications
• Aurora observation planning.
• Determining best viewing angles for red aurora.
• Assessing visibility limitations due to horizon/elevation.
Limitations
• Only shows theoretical visibility based on elevation angles.
• Weather, terrain, and light pollution are not accounted for.
• Assumes typical red auroral altitude.
Product
Green aurora range rings drawn around your current GPS location. Rings correspond to the elevation angles (10°, 25°, 45°) at which the aurora would intersect the height where green auroral emissions occur.
Visualization
• Concentric rings indicate the maximum visible range at the given elevation angles.
• Helps estimate where the green aurora can be observed from your position.
• Rings are drawn dynamically around your current GPS location.
Usage
If any of the aurora range rings intersects the aurora probabilities you can read the probability of seeing the green aurora colors at given elevation.
Applications
• Aurora observation planning.
• Determining best viewing angles for green aurora.
• Assessing visibility limitations due to horizon/elevation.
Limitations
• Only shows theoretical visibility based on elevation angles.
• Weather, terrain, and light pollution are not accounted for.
• Assumes typical green auroral altitude.
Product
500mb geopotential heights from the NOAA GFS model, updated in near real-time to always show the latest forecast. Yellow contours indicate constant geopotential heights at 500mb, highlighting large-scale troughs and ridges.
Visualization
• Yellow contour lines = constant 500mb geopotential heights.
• Helps identify upper-level troughs, ridges, and wave patterns.
• Contours automatically update with the latest forecast timestamp.
Applications
• Synoptic-scale weather analysis.
• Identifying regions of upper-level divergence/convergence.
• Supporting medium-range forecasting.
Limitations
• Does not provide direct information about surface weather.
• Spatial resolution limited by GFS model grid (~0.25° or 0.5°).
• Only shows geopotential height, not wind speed or vorticity directly.
Product
500mb wind speeds derived from the NOAA GFS model, updated to always show the latest forecast. Wind speeds are visualized as colored polygons, with intensity representing the magnitude of winds at 500mb.
Visualization
• Polygons colored according to wind speed (low → high).
• Helps identify jet streams and regions of strong upper-level flow.
• Automatically updates to reflect the latest GFS forecast timestamp.
Applications
• Identifying jet streams and upper-level wind maxima.
• Supporting convection and severe weather forecasting.
• Analyzing upper-level steering flow.
Limitations
• Polygons do not show wind direction explicitly.
• Accuracy depends on GFS model resolution.
• Only applicable at the 500mb pressure level.
Product
2 PVU (Potential Vorticity Unit) surface height fields from NOAA GFS. Polygons indicate the geopotential height along the 2 PVU surface, which can be used to analyze stratosphere-troposphere interactions.
Visualization
• Polygons are colored according to the surface height of the 2 PVU surface.
• Highlights tropopause folds, stratospheric intrusions, and regions of PV anomalies.
• Automatically updates to reflect the latest forecast timestamp.
Applications
• Identifying potential dynamic lift and severe weather regions.
• Studying stratosphere-troposphere interactions.
• Supporting synoptic and mesoscale meteorology analysis.
Limitations
• Only the 2 PVU surface is represented; does not show full 3D PV structure.
• Polygons indicate magnitude only; further interpretation needed for weather impacts.
• Limited by GFS resolution and temporal update intervals.
Product
10m winds from the NOAA GFS model, visualized as Windy-like animated streamlines. The product updates automatically to always display the latest forecast for the current timestamp.
Visualization
• Animated streamlines indicate both wind speed and direction.
• Speed of particles represent windspeed.
• Continuous animation shows flow patterns in near real-time.
Applications
• Short-term weather monitoring and nowcasting.
• Identifying surface wind patterns, gusts, and convergence zones.
• Supporting marine, aviation, and local forecasting.
Limitations
• Only surface-level winds (10m) are shown.
• Visualization may become dense in regions with high wind variability.
• Dependent on GFS temporal resolution (~hourly to 3-hourly updates).
• Chosen resolution is GFS 0.5Deg for performance considerations.
Product
Mean Sea Level Pressure (MSLP) fields from the NOAA GFS model. The product updates automatically to always display the latest forecast for the current timestamp.
Visualization
• Contours represent constant MSLP values (isobars).
• Highlights surface high- and low-pressure systems.
• Updates dynamically with the latest forecast timestamp, showing current predicted surface pressure patterns.
Applications
• Identifying cyclones, anticyclones, and frontal systems.
• Supporting short- and medium-range weather forecasting.
• Analyzing surface pressure gradients for wind estimation.
Limitations
• Does not show upper-level dynamics or temperature fields.
• Spatial resolution is limited by the GFS model grid (~0.25° or 0.5°).
• Only surface pressure is represented; interpretation needed for associated weather impacts.
Product
The Tropical Cyclone Track Forecast is issued by the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) and provides the official forecast track, past storm history, and the cone of uncertainty. This product is updated every 6 hours and is the primary reference for tropical cyclone forecasts in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific basins.
Visualization
• Forecast Track: white line showing the predicted storm center positions over a period of 5 days at specified forecast intervals.
• Forecast Points: blue dots within the cone of uncertainty (each step +12hrs to a max of +120hrs).
• Cone of Uncertainty: shaded area around the forecast track, representing the probable path of the storm center (based on historical forecast errors). • History Track: blue dots preceding the cone of uncertainty, illustrating past observed storm positions & timestamp.
The cone does not show the size of the storm, only the uncertainty in track forecast.
Applications
• Tracking active tropical cyclones in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific.
• Anticipating landfall regions and potential impacts.
• Supporting emergency planning, evacuations, and hazard awareness.
• Communicating official forecast information to the public and stakeholders.
Limitations
• The cone represents uncertainty of the center track only — impacts such as winds, rain, and storm surge can extend far outside the cone.
• Forecast error increases with lead time (the cone widens further into the future).
• Updates are issued every 6 hours, so short-term changes may not be reflected instantly.
• The product only covers Atlantic and Eastern Pacific basins (other agencies cover other basins).
Product
The Tropical Storm-Force Wind Speed Probability product is issued by the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC). It shows the probability of experiencing sustained tropical-storm-force winds (≥34 knots / ≥63 km/h) at different locations during the forecast period. This product is updated with each advisory, typically every 6 hours.
Visualization
• Shaded polygons represent the probability (in %) of tropical-storm-force winds at the surface.
• Color scale progresses from low probability (green/yellow) to high probability (red/purple).
• Probabilities are cumulative over the forecast period, meaning they represent the chance of winds ≥34 kt occurring at least once during the forecast.
This product does not show exact timing of wind onset — only the likelihood of tropical-storm-force winds at a location.
Applications
• Assessing the likelihood of tropical-storm-force winds for preparedness planning.
• Helping emergency managers, maritime operators, and the public gauge risk levels.
• Complementing the cone of uncertainty by highlighting the area of potential wind impacts rather than just the storm center track.
Limitations
• Shows probabilities only — not guaranteed impacts.
• Does not provide information about hurricane-force winds (≥64 kt) or gusts.
• Wind can occur outside the official forecast cone.
• Product resolution is limited by forecast model input and update frequency (6 hours).
• After Post-tropical transition the probabilities might no longer be present, while the cone of uncertainty persists
Product
Real-time surface station observations of dewpoint depression, defined as the difference between the air temperature and the dewpoint temperature (T − Td).
Visualization
• Each station plots the dewpoint depression value.
• Color scale represents the magnitude of T − Td (°C).
• Small values (near 0) = very moist air, nearly saturated.
• Large values = drier air, farther from saturation.
A request to update this data is done each 30 minutes to request the most recent observations.
Applications
• Assessing low-level atmospheric moisture.
• Identifying areas favorable for fog or low cloud formation (small depression).
• Detecting dry air intrusions and potential for evaporative cooling (large depression).
• Useful for severe weather monitoring and fire-weather assessments.
Limitations
• Dependent on station network density — spatial gaps possible.
• Rapid local changes (e.g., rainfall, radiative cooling) can cause sharp variations while new data has not been sent yet by station.
Product
Real-time surface station observations of air temperature, reported in degrees Celsius (°C).
Visualization
• Each station plots the current air temperature.
• Color scale represents temperature values, typically ranging from cold blues to warm reds.
• Updated continuously with incoming observation data.
A request to update this data is done each 30 minutes to request the most recent observations.
Applications
• Monitoring near-surface thermal conditions.
• Identifying cold/hot spots in real time.
• Supporting forecasting of heatwaves, cold air outbreaks, or frost risk.
• Provides input for stability indices and convection analysis.
Limitations
• Dependent on station network density — spatial gaps possible.
• Rapid local changes (e.g., rainfall, radiative cooling) can cause sharp variations while new data has not been sent yet by station.
Product
Real-time surface station observations of dewpoint temperature, reported in degrees Celsius (°C). Dewpoint reflects the temperature to which air must be cooled at constant pressure for saturation to occur.
Visualization
• Each station plots the current dewpoint temperature.
• Color scale ranges from very low values (dry air) to high values (humid air).
• Close alignment of T and Td indicates near-saturation and potential cloud/fog development.
Applications
• Assessing low-level moisture availability for convection.
• Fog and low cloud forecasting.
• Identifying drylines, moisture boundaries, and air mass transitions.
• Input for thermodynamic indices like CAPE and Lifted Index.
Limitations
• Station coverage uneven, especially in remote regions.
• Strongly influenced by local surface fluxes and diurnal cycles.
• Only reflects near-surface conditions, not vertical moisture profiles.
Product
Surface-Based Convective Available Potential Energy (sbCAPE), derived by enhancing GFS model fields with real-time surface observations.
Visualization
• Polygons represent the magnitude of sbCAPE (J/kg).
• Higher values indicate stronger potential updrafts.
• Color scale highlights ranges from weak instability to extreme convective potential.
sbCAPE = Convective energy available to a surface-parcel, lifted through the atmosphere. The lowest atmospheric level in the CAPE calculation is substituted with observed surface values for more accurate instability estimation.
Applications
• Identifying areas with convective storm potential.
• Supporting severe thunderstorm nowcasting and short-term forecasting.
• Improved accuracy by blending observations with model data.
• Helps distinguish convectively active vs. stable environments.
Limitations
• Dependent on both GFS forecast quality and station observation density.
• Only represents surface-based parcels — elevated convection not captured.
• CAPE is highly sensitive to small errors in temperature and moisture input.
Product
Weather radar sites across Europe, integrated into our system for real-time monitoring of precipitation and storm activity. Clicking on an orange radar site reveals the available capabilities if/when available:
Reflectivity: shows precipitation intensity and structure.
Velocity: (where available) shows radial wind speed, used to detect rotation, divergence, and shear.
When data for the radarsite has not been updated for an hour or more, the radar icon changes from orange to blue, indicating the radarsite is offline.
Available Countries
France, Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Czechia, Slovakia, Estonia, and Croatia.
Radar Ownership
• Finland – FMI
• Sweden – SMHI
• Denmark – DMI
• Germany – DWD
• Croatia – DHMZ
• Czechia – CHMI
• Slovakia – SHMÚ
• Bulgaria – IABG
• Poland – IMGW-PIB
• Netherlands – KNMI
• Ireland – Met Éireann
• France – Météo-France
• Estonia – Estonian Environment Agency
• Iceland – Icelandic Meteorological Office
• Romania – Meteorological Administration of Romania
Radar Meteorology Basics
Weather radars transmit microwave pulses that scatter back when encountering precipitation particles. The returned signal is analyzed to produce:
Reflectivity (dBZ): intensity of returned power, proportional to the size and number of hydrometeors. Typical ranges:
• 0–15 dBZ: very light drizzle / non-meteorological
• 20–30 dBZ: light rain
• 30–40 dBZ: moderate rain
• 40–50 dBZ: heavy rain
• 50–60 dBZ: very heavy rain (severe downpours)
• 60+ dBZ: hail - large hail / extremely intense convective precipitation
Radial Velocity: measures the component of wind toward or away from the radar.
• Positive = moving away.
• Negative = moving toward.
Applications
• Monitoring thunderstorms, heavy rain, hail, and snow.
• Tracking mesoscale features such as gust fronts and squall lines.
• Velocity data helps identify severe storm signatures such as rotation, downbursts, shear and storm-relative winds.
Limitations
• Beam overshooting at long ranges reduces detection of low-level phenomena.
• Ground clutter, anomalous propagation, and attenuation can produce false signals.
• Quality of radar-imagery is station & country-dependent.
• Radars can go down (maintenance, malfunction...).
Radar Layer Toggle
This control allows you to switch the radar imagery layer on or off. When enabled, the map displays real-time radar reflectivity (and velocity where available) from the integrated European radar network. This provides direct insight into precipitation intensity, storm structure, and ongoing weather hazards.
Turning the layer off removes the radar overlays from the map, leaving a clean background view. This is useful when you want to focus on other data layers (e.g., satellite imagery, lightning, or model fields) without visual clutter.
The toggle affects only the visualization; radar data continues to update in the background, so the imagery will always be current when re-enabled.
Product
Shooting locations are community-driven points of interest placed on the map, visualised by green markers. Each location is represented by a marker which, when clicked, opens a modal with more details about the spot. Information can include a description, the exact coordinates, and — when available — a photo of the location.
Visualization & Interaction
• Clicking a marker shows the location information and preview image.
• Locations can be explored in Google Street View for a ground-level preview.
Navigation capabilities
• If Waze is installed and you are using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto you can directly navigate your car to the location by one tap.
• If Waze is installed and you are not using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto it will just navigate Waze to the destination on your phone.
• If Waze is not installed, it will just open up a browser & open up a Waze session there.
Adding New Locations
• Tap the add button in the lower left corner of the map.
• Add a new location by dropping a point on the map and uploading a photo — or take a photo directly with your phone.
• If geolocation is enabled, your current position is automatically used for the new location.
• New shooting locations are instantly shared with the rest of the community, so that everyone can benefit from collective contributions.
! Images are checked for NSFW content by an AI agent and are silently rejected !
Applications
• Planning photography and storm chasing routes.
• Sharing community-sourced vantage points.
• Building a collaborative map of trusted observation spots.
Limitations
• Image availability depends on community uploads.
• Geolocation accuracy may vary depending on device and permissions.
• Street View and Waze integrations require internet access and Waze installed & Geolcoation usage permitted.
