DATA MENU Convective outlooks

This option plots convective outlooks (thunderstorm forecasts) issued by the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center (SPC) in Norman, Oklahoma. These are centralized human-produced forecasts issued several times a day, and are used to help provide guidance to National Weather Service forecast offices. They are also used frequently by storm chasers, pilots, and hobbyists.

To use this option, you must have imported a convective outlook as part of your raw data set or from one of the choices in Internet > .

Advanced users can modify the color scheme by changing the contents of the file DIGATMOS.CCC in the Digital Atmosphere directory using a standard text editor such as Notepad (never use a word processor such as Microsoft Word or you will corrupt the file). This file contains self-explanatory instructions for modifying the hexadecimal numbers used to determine colors of the various threat boundaries.

If there are any problems ingesting a bulletin, the problem is most likely an error in the composition of the bulletin. It is not necessary for the header to be intact, but the "STORM PREDICTION CENTER" title must appear in the bulletin along with the convective outlook type, valid times, and standard bounding locations of each threat area.

Sample of convective outlook

492
ACUS2 KMKC 041803
SWODY2
MKC AC 041801
STORM PREDICTION CENTER...NWS/NCEP...NORMAN OK
DAY 2 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK...REF AWIPS GRAPHIC PGWI47 KWBC.
VALID 051200Z - 061200Z
THERE IS A SLGT RISK OF SVR TSTMS TO THE RIGHT OF A LINE FROM
40 ESE P07 BGS CDS 55 NE AMA EHA LAA GLD HLC SLN CNU SGF JBR MKL
TUP LUL 35 SE HUM ...CONT... 30 S CRP 25 S LRD.
GEN TSTMS ARE FCST TO THE RIGHT OF A LINE FROM 30 ENE ELO 50 NW EAU
DBQ HUF LUK HTS TRI 65 S TYS ATL ABY AQQ ...CONT... 40 SW DMN
50 WNW ONM GUP 60 ESE PGA U17 VEL 45 NNE CAG CYS SNY ANW JMS
70 NNE DVL.
MODELS INDICATE UPPER CLOSED LOW OVER NORTHERN BAJA WILL EVOLVE
INTO A SHORT WAVE TROUGH AND ACCELERATE EASTWARD INTO THE SOUTHERN
PLAINS SUNDAY/SUNDAY NIGHT. THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO VIGOROUS
NORTHERN BRANCH SHORT WAVE TROUGH NOW OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST...
AND PROGGED TO CONTINUE TO DIG INTO THE CENTRAL ROCKIES BEFORE
SHIFTING EASTWARD INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. AS THESE SYSTEMS
INTERACT...AND UPSTREAM SHORT WAVE DIGS ACROSS THE NORTHERN PACIFIC
COAST INTO THE GREAT BASIN...MODELS INDICATE EVOLUTION OF LONG WAVE