Sidebar

The sidebar view appears on the left side of the main window. You can toggle its visibility using the leftmost Toggle Sidebar button in the toolbar. Use the sidebar to view and interact with the various supplemental data layers that RadarScope displays.

The top-level sidebar view includes various data layers that can be overlaid on the map. Some layers are available to all RadarScope customers. Others are available via our RadarScope Pro subscription tiers, our WeatherOps decision support platform, or via third-party sources such as AllisonHouse and Spotter Network. Use the controls in this sidebar view to toggle the visibility of various layers on the map.

Warnings

The warnings layer displays active tornado, severe thunderstorm, flash flood, special marine, snow squall, and extreme wind warnings. Click the checkbox or title to toggle the warnings layer. Click the filter button next to the count to select the types of warnings you wish to display.

Click the disclosure button to view a list of visible active warnings. Click a warning in the list to reveal it on the map and select the nearest radar. Click the disclosure button for a warning to view a map thumbnail and the full bulletin text.

To limit warnings to specific countries, use the International Bulletins settings in the General tab of the Settings window.

Watches

The watches layer displays active tornado and severe thunderstorm watches. Click the checkbox or title to toggle the watches layer. Click the filter button next to the count to select the types of watches you wish to display.

Click the disclosure button to view a list of visible active watches. Click a watch in the list to reveal it on the map and select the nearest radar. Click the disclosure button for a watch to view a map thumbnail and the full bulletin text.

To limit watches to specific countries, use the International Bulletins settings in the General tab of the Settings window.

Statements

The statements layer displays special weather statements issued by the U.S. National Weather Service and Environment Canada. They are issued for hazards that have not yet reached warning or advisory status or that don't have a specific code of their own. Special weather statements are available via a RadarScope Pro Tier One subscription or an AllisonHouse data plan. Special weather statements cover the United States and Canada.

Click the checkbox or title to toggle the statements layer. Click the disclosure button to view a list of active statements. Click a statement in the list to reveal it on the map and select the nearest radar. Click the disclosure button for a statement to view a map thumbnail and the full bulletin text.

Discussions

The discussions layer includes active mesoscale discussions in the RadarScope Pro or AllisonHouse discussions feed. Discussions are available via a RadarScope Pro Tier One subscription or an AllisonHouse data plan and cover the United States.

Click the checkbox or title to toggle the discussions layer. Click the disclosure button to view a list of active discussions. Click a discussion in the list to reveal it on the map and select the nearest radar. Click the disclosure button for a discussion to view a map thumbnail and the full bulletin text.

Lightning

The lightning layer displays lightning strike locations within the coverage area of the selected radar over the past 30 minutes. Lightning data is refreshed once a minute. Lightning data requires a RadarScope Pro subscription or an AllisonHouse data plan. The RadarScope Pro lightning feed displays cloud-to-ground strikes. Strikes are animated in sync with the radar loop and fade out with age. The AllisonHouse lightning feed displays both cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-ground strikes, but it doesn’t animate with the radar. Lightning data are currently available for areas where we provide single-site radar coverage.

Storm Tracks

The storm tracks layer displays projected storm paths determined by NWS storm-tracking algorithms. Storm tracks are available to everyone via a NOAA feed. An alternative feed is available to AllisonHouse subscribers. Storm tracks are available only for the United States.

Derived Contours

Derived contours indicate the probability of hail, estimated hail size, and azimuthal wind shear as determined by processing real-time radar data through custom algorithms. They are available via a RadarScope Tier Two subscription. Contours cover a 24-hour period and are updated about twice an hour. They provide good indicators of where hail and wind shear occurred during recent severe weather events and, when combined with the 30-day archive in Tier Two, are useful for post-event analysis. Derived contours cover only the United States.

Outlooks

The outlooks layer displays day one convective and fire weather outlooks issued by NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center and exessive rainfall outlooks issued by NOAA's Weather Prediction Center. They estimate the probability of convective storms, high wind, hail, and tornadoes, and are issued five times a day. Outlooks are available via a RadarScope Pro Tier Two subscription or an AllisonHouse data plan. Outlooks cover the United States.

Radar Brightness

The radar brightness slider controls the opacity of the radar image on the map. Adjusting the opacity can make it easier to distinguish other features on the map.

Local Storm Reports

The storm reports layer displays local storm reports received and disseminated by National Weather Service forecast offices. They are submitted by storm spotters, public safety officials, and others to report a wide variety of events including extreme temperatures, floods, high winds, hail, tornadoes, and more. Storm reports are available via a RadarScope Tier One subscription or an AllisonHouse data plan. Storms reports cover only the United States. When local storm reports are enabled, tap the filter button next to the count to select the types of reports you wish to display.

Click the checkbox or title to toggle the storm reports layer. Click the disclosure button to view a list of recent reports. Click a report in the list to reveal it on the map and select the nearest radar. Click the disclosure button for a report to view a map thumbnail and the full details.

Spotter Reports

The spotter reports layer displays severe weather reports submitted by trained storm spotters through the Spotter Network. They are used to report a range of weather events including, wind, floods, hail, and tornadoes. Spotter reports are available via a Spotter Network account. When spotter reports are enabled, tap the filter button next to the count to select the types of reports you wish to display.

Click the checkbox or title to toggle the spotter reports layer. Click the disclosure button to view a list of recent reports. Click a report in the list to reveal it on the map and select the nearest radar. Click the disclosure button for a report to view a map thumbnail and the full details.

mPING Reports

The mPING reports layer displays crowd-source weather reports that are collected and disseminated by the National Severe Storm Laboratory’s mPING project. They are used to report precipitation types and other weather events. When mPING reports are enabled, tap the filter button next to the count to select the types of reports you wish to display.

Click the checkbox or title to toggle the mPING reports layer. Click the disclosure button to view a list of recent reports. Click a report in the list to reveal it on the map and select the nearest radar. Click the disclosure button for a report to view a map thumbnail and the full details.

Locations

The location layer displays custom user-defined locations. Click Add Location to create a custom location. Click the checkbox or title to toggle the locations layer. Click the disclosure button to show the list of custom locations.

When viewing the list, right-click or swipe right to delete a location. You can reorder items in the list by clicking and dragging them. Click the location name to reveal it on the map and select the nearest radar. Click the disclosure button for a location to view a map thumbnail and the full details. In the detail view, you can edit the location name and coordinates.

Assets

The assets layer displays asset locations defined in the WeatherOps Commander portal used by DTN enterprise customers. It requires a WeatherOps enterprise account. Click the checkbox or title to toggle the assets layer. Click the disclosure button to show the list of assets.

In the asset list, click an asset name to reveal it on the map and select the nearest radar. Click the disclosure button for an asset to view a map thumbnail and the full details.

Spotters

The spotter layer displays the reported locations of Spotter Network members. Spotter locations are available via a Spotter Network account. Click the checkbox or title to toggle the spotter locations layer. Click the disclosure button to show the list of active spotters.

In the spotter list, click a spotter name to reveal it on the map and select the nearest radar. Click the disclosure button for a spotter to view a map thumbnail and the full details.

If you’re not logged into a Spotter Network account or if the Spotter Locations layer is disabled, RadarScope doesn’t download the spotter location feed and the spotter list is not available.

Cities

The cities layer displays the names of over 25,000 cities and towns obtained from a U.S. census database. Names are filtered at varying zoom levels to reduce overlap and visual clutter.

Roads

The standard roads layer displays interstate and U.S. highways obtained from OpenStreetMap databases. RadarScope Pro Tier Two includes more detailed roads provided by Mapbox. Roads are shown as blue lines on the map. More roads and detail displayed at higher zoom levels. Pro Tier Two subscribers can select the desired road map provider in the General tab of the Settings.

Road Labels

When the Mapbox road provider is selected, highway labels can be toggled on or off.

Satellite

The satellite base map layer displays satellite imagery from Mapbox. It's available to RadarScope Pro Tier Two subscribers.