Getting Started...

The Interface

Changing the View

Select the Zoom Tool to zoom in and out. Left-click to zoom in, right-click to zoom out. Also, you may left-click and drag to draw a box around the area you want to zoom to. Use the Zoom-To-Default button to reset the zoom to the original view.

The Pan Tool lets you click-and-drag different parts of the map into view. Alternately, you can use the arrow keys.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Displaying Storm Tracking Data

Use the Map Layers window to show or hide storm tracking data. Click the checkbox to display a layer on the map. If the data is not current, it will be downloaded from the Internet automatically.

Available Map Layers

Choosing a Radar Map

By default, you are presented with a national radar map of the continental U.S. You can select a different map from the Map Catalog window. This window is located behind the Map Layers window.

Maps are organized in folders to for easy access. Double click the map to open it in the main window. If the map is not current, an update will be downloaded from the Internet automatically.

Available Maps

Selecting Objects

The Select Tool lets you select certain objects on-screen to view more details. For example, clicking a Surface Observation will display additional info about that observation and a link to the 5-day forecast.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Objects that can be selected