IDV Wind Vectors and Barbs

You can make wind vector plots in HTML pages with the IDV.

Under the displays below, select a time and numerical weather prediction model for the data source. The Eta and RUC model output cover North America, and the AVN output is global.

After selecting the time and model, click on Create Plot. Two minutes or more may be needed to retrieve the data and compute the display from u and v wind components that are rotated relative to true north. Data is coming from a remote Unidata data server. Most of the delay is rotating the wind vectors from the native data grid directions to be relative to true North.

Once the display is complete, all IDV controls are available. You can:

• animate or step in time.
• rotate the 3D display viewpoint
• zoom and pan
• open a Display Control
• change level of plot in atmosphere
• change vector size and separation
• change map background; or toggle the map on and off.
• move map above or below data display
• switch between vectors and streamlines

The initial level is at 1000 mb, the surface. To change the level, right-button click on the label "truewindvectors Wind plan view Level 1000.0." A menu will appear; click on "Properties." Another window will appear, the actual Display Control for the display. In the Display Control use the pop-up menu labeled "Levels" to change level. Use the "Vector size" sider to increase vector length; use "Skip interval" to skip every other grid point, or skip 2 or more. Click on "Show streamlines" to see streamlines. Click on "Clear" to remove the Display Control.

To zoom into an area, drag the mouse cursor with Shift held down to make a rubber band box. Or to zoom, hold down Shift and use the up and down arrow keys. To pan, hold down Ctrl and use the arrow keys. If the point of view is confusing, you can reset to the original view with key combination Ctrl-R.

Wind Barbs

To make a plot of wind barbs, under the displays below, select a time and numerical weather prediction model for the data source. The Eta and RUC model output cover North America, and the AVN output is global.

After selecting the time and model, click on Create Plot. Two minutes or more may be needed to retrieve the data and create the display. Data is coming from a remote Unidata data server. Most of the delay is rotating the wind vectors from the native data grid directions to be relative to true North.

The same display controls are available for this display as for the wind vectors described above, except for no streamlines.