Author Topic: "Squashed" RADAR maps  (Read 2036 times)

xairbusdriver

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"Squashed" RADAR maps
« on: July 23, 2015, 08:08:32 PM »
If you've ever seen the RADAR maps from NOAA, you may have noticed that they seem to be shortened in height or squashed vertically. It's strange if you've watched the views on TV or actual Wx RADAR equipment usually found on aircraft or ships. There is nothing wrong with your TV, Do not attempt to correct it! [banghead] Everyone here probably already knows about this! I came across the reason for this while searching for ways to present NOAA RADAR images on my site.
Quote
Except for the state of Alaska, the radar images provided by the National Weather Service are in an unprojected latitude/longitude format. This allows geographic information system (GIS) software to ingest NWS radar data for display with other information such as population density, etc.

Because of this unprojected format, the radar images appear "squashed" or oval shaped. The squashing of the radar image increases with increasing distance north (and south) of the equator. The oval ring in the image (right) is the 124 nautical mile range ring, which is the distance "seen" in a "short range" Doppler radar image.
source: <http://forecast.weather.gov/jetstream/doppler/webviews.htm, Botton of the page>
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF COUNTRIES
Those that use metric = #1 Measurement system
And the United States = The Banana system