Re: 20021218:Using data in lesson plans

Hi Cheryl, 

Yes and no...

Our data is delivered in its native format, which varies for each sensor
type or group..i.e. satellite, radar, lightning, model output, etc..

We are in the process of making our data "GIS friendly" with appropriate
decoders to transform to shapefiles and other GIS compatible formats.
Unfortunately, we are not there yet. I am a member of the NCAR GIS
advisory board, and we are making great advances in the GIS arena, but I
would not expect public acccess to these products in the near future. We
are looking at a 6 - 12 month time frame, the writing of the decoders is
not a trivial task. We are working w/ ESRI on this project as well as the
Open Source GIS Consortium. If this is the only application you desire {I
would like to incorporate Weather  data for the Houston area into
>  a GIS land map to show the frontal patterns to my students.} We may be
able to get the model output (normally in GRIB -Gridded binary) to a shape
file in a quicker time frame. We have attained success on individual
products for a "proof of concept" but we focus on the delivery of real
time data, so the tweaking and massaging of data is not prudent in a realt
time environment..yet. I can direct you to a wealth of resources regarding
this process if you feel you may want to tread down this path. We are
working with a Hydrology group from UT Austin and have had success mapping
radar data to GIS..but again not in real time, and alot of "handholding of
the data"

Please let me know how I can be of any further assistance.

Thank you,


-Jeff
____________________________                  _____________________
Jeff Weber                                    address@hidden
Unidata Support                               PH:303-497-8676 
COMET Case Study Library                      FX:303-497-8690
University Corp for Atmospheric Research      3300 Mitchell Ln
http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/staff/jweber      Boulder,Co 80307-3000
________________________________________      ______________________

On Wed, 18 Dec 2002, Unidata Support wrote:

> 
> ------- Forwarded Message
> 
> >To: address@hidden
> >From: "Cheryl Sturgeon" <address@hidden>
> >Subject: Using data in lesson plans
> >Organization: UCAR/Unidata
> >Keywords: 200212181813.gBIIDM412399
> 
> I am working on a computer on line course for teachers using GIS in the
> classroom.  I would like to incorporate Weather  data for the Houston area 
> into
>  a GIS land map to show the frontal patterns to my students.  Is there a way 
> to use your data to help with this.  I am new to GIS and learning as I go.
> 
> Cheryl J. Sturgeon
> The Woodlands High School
> 6101 Research Forest Dr.
> The Woodlands Tx 77382
> phone 936-273-4837
> FAX 936-273-8599
> 
> 
> ------- End of Forwarded Message
> 
>