Custom Graph Scales

[ParadisBlanc]

Hello there,

playing with WC  , I seethat I can create a custom gauge for the wind speed (for example), and I have in the parameters a way to set the min and max of the gauge. Now if I do the same on a custom graph (timeline), the scale is fixed at 0 to 10 (m/s), I have no way to set it myself or did I miss something ?

If I create a custom graph for a temperature, I see that there an autoscaling that I dont get with the wind speed... why is that?

Thanks you for your support.

[Bull Winkus]

Hello Eric. Here's a partial explanation, quickly from memory. The chart scales automatically, and has never had a manual scale setting. The gauges have a manual scale setting and if the data exceeds the range of the setting, it will revert to autoscale.

Hope this answers your question.

 

[ParadisBlanc]

Thank you Herb for your answer. I understood that charts scale automatically (works OK with temperatures, humidity....) but it does not do it with Wind Speed for example. I had no wind these days (peak 2.5 m/s), still the chart for the Wind Speed has a 0-10 m/s scale, not a 0-3 m/s (automatic) scale. Is that a feature, or a "bug"?

[xairbusdriver]

I had no wind these days (peak 2.5 m/s), still the chart for the Wind Speed has a 0-10 m/s scale, not a 0-3 m/s (automatic) scale. Is that a feature, or a "bug"?

I think (that's the key word) that the graphs have default minimum values. All that means is that it will increase the range if the actual measurement would exceed the min/max, for the time period. It your specific graph, if the actual values of 2.5 m/s appears at the appropriate time, then it is working properly. If there is not indication at the correct time point, something is wrong. When I have something wrong and I have a 50/50 chance of it being me or the app, 90% of the time it's me!

Seriously, if you think the graph is incorrectly reporting the values, upload a screen shot of the graph and the settings window. Stu can then see the 'bug' or explain the needed corrections.

[Bull Winkus]

I agree with Xair. I'll add that there are some differences in how the charts autoscale for different measured variables. I assume that Stu set the minimum values for each at his own discretion. If you feel the minimum value for wind is too high, then feel free to bring it to his attention. He is always interested in the opinions of station operators on even the most minor of details.

Incidentally, as seems to always be the case for me, just after giving an explanation, I found an exception. Apparently, a gauge to indicate annual rain total, with the scale fixed at 50 inches, will not autoscale when annual rainfall exceeds 50 inches. Not sure how it would do in mm, but I suspect it might be the same. I haven't had any issues with other gauges not autoscaling, though.

 

[xairbusdriver]

Bull, if you have more than 50 inches of rain where you live (vee ave our vays! ) you'll be on an island! OTOH, it seems to be raining quite a bit right now! We have a Flash Flood warning until tomorrow Noon. We don't really need the rain, if you would be so kind, just send it north rather than east. Thanks!

An aside on manual scales on the Gauges: I decided not to show both the Wind Chill and the Heat Index at the same time, anywhere. Heat Index in the warm months, Wind Chill in the cooler ones.

When I was trying to edit the Wind Chill gauge settings, I kept getting a warning that the current value exceeded the values I was attempting to use. Finally (I'm slower than molasses in Winter), I realized that the "Wind Chill" was at 72?F and I was trying to set ~65?F as the maximum. I decided to just leave it at 74 and press on. I never let purfeckshun hinder me! All worked well until today when the "Wind Chill" reached 75?F!

Fortunately, Stu had thought more about this possibility than I had. WC didn't crash, the Custom Gauge didn't report erroneous data, it simply was not created/uploaded! Actually, since I had specifically allotted a specific amount of space for that gauge/image, the layout never even flinched; it just skipped that correct amount of space and displayed the other gauge/image exactly where it should have. Thanks, Stu!

[elagache]

Dear Erik, X-Air, Herb, and WeatherCat infomaniacs, . . .

Thank you Herb for your answer. I understood that charts scale automatically (works OK with temperatures, humidity....) but it does not do it with Wind Speed for example. I had no wind these days (peak 2.5 m/s), still the chart for the Wind Speed has a 0-10 m/s scale, not a 0-3 m/s (automatic) scale. Is that a feature, or a "bug"?

I don't know how intentional this feature is, but it is the way WeatherCat's scaling algorithm works.  In California (at least in da' good ol' days) the weather was very stable in the summertime.  As a result, the barometric pressure effectively it little more than a straight line given the scaling for barometric pressure.

I can't complain, the reason the graph is so straight is precisely because the weather is so uninteresting.  The same point may apply to wind speed.  When the wind is next to nothing, it is probably more informative to see a graph with mostly white-space.  In effect, WeatherCat is helping you assess if the weather needs your attention or not.  White-space means you can ignore the weather and deal with the next pressing thing.  These days it is only a matter of time before the weather changes such that it WILL get your attention! 

Cheers, Edouard 

[Bull Winkus]

Bull, if you have more than 50 inches of rain where you live (vee ave our vays! ) you'll be on an island! OTOH, it seems to be raining quite a bit right now! We have a Flash Flood warning until tomorrow Noon.

Xair, surely you couldn't have missed that I was talking about the rain since the beginning of the year 2015. Uh, ? that's the Gregorian calendar, just in case you're still using the old one. If you're like me, you have a tendency to forget to change the hanging calendar when need be.

But, I doubt if I'd be on an island. Rain just doesn't stack very well, and 50 inches here would roll downhill to Memphis in no time!

 

[WCDev]

Yes, for graphs, the autoscaling will prefer human readable spans rather than maximising the range of the data being displayed. For each variable there are a set of predefined ranges for each unit, outside this range it'll switch to auto-calculating the scale whilst still aiming to keep the range human friendly. I suspect for m/s it's falling into the default scaler which will just start at 10 - this is probably a bug (5 would be better at a minimum). I'll raise one for it, thanks for reporting it.

I've attached an example that shows my current temperature graph - it has scaled 0 to 20, if it were maximising the dynamic range of the data, 0 to 12 would have done.

I agree with Xair. I'll add that there are some differences in how the charts autoscale for different measured variables. I assume that Stu set the minimum values for each at his own discretion. If you feel the minimum value for wind is too high, then feel free to bring it to his attention. He is always interested in the opinions of station operators on even the most minor of details.

Incidentally, as seems to always be the case for me, just after giving an explanation, I found an exception. Apparently, a gauge to indicate annual rain total, with the scale fixed at 50 inches, will not autoscale when annual rainfall exceeds 50 inches. Not sure how it would do in mm, but I suspect it might be the same. I haven't had any issues with other gauges not autoscaling, though.

 

Hmm, thanks - I don't think there's any upper limit placed so I'm interested as to why it wouldn't auto-scale. I'll take a look at it 

[xairbusdriver]

Rain just doesn't stack very well, and 50 inches here would roll downhill to Memphis in no time!

Actually, we're protected from you "discharges" by some rather small hills [Crowley's Ridge]. Most of your 50 inches would end up in the White River (probably via Spring River?) and meet the Mighty Muddy well south of Memphis.

We only got a bit over 5 inches in this last 'event'. And the sky is a beautiful blue with just a few fluffy clouds. Still waiting on the 'cold' air. The month is starting to look like most of the others this year; the warmest in a long time!

[Bull Winkus]

You know your maps! Crowley's Ridge protects Tennessee and Mississippi all the way to Helena, and the White River and the Arkansas River enter the Mississippi River some 47 miles below that. Here's the trace map from Streamer, which is one of my favorite tax supported, free web resources.

 

Oops! Almost forgot to include the trace report. Note: Give it some time to compile the report after the page loads.

[xairbusdriver]

Lived most of my first 21 years on that ridge; born in Jonesboro. Can't say I grew up there, however. Can't say I've grown up at all, even 60 years later!!

[Bull Winkus]

Yeah, we got just under 5" rain. Mostly it was a long slow slog, and we needed it. Just one time when the rate climbed to almost 8" hr as the front came through. Didn't last very long, though.

Growing up is hard to do. I'm still reluctant to try it.