Pratiques et Techniques de la Plaisance

Plugin Grib OpenCPN : “ Particle Map’s option ”

December 18, 2013, Slate published an article announcing an animated weather processing model : GFS / NCEP / US National Weather Service Slate/Future Tense earth.nullschool Very quickly, Plaisance Pratique, December 20, had communicated on this subject : PTP météo animée Later, OpenCPN, announced Oct. 22, 2014, an updated plugin’s Grib, by adding an option «  Particle Map  » in the window display of the plugin setting.

the principle :

• From the mathematical model "Air Resources Laboratory (ARL)”
  • ARL is a research laboratory of NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. http://www.arl.noaa.gov/
• These data included in the GRIB files, read by the Grib plugin of OpenCPN, visualizes the movements traced by the wind’s trajectories, or by the currents, on the screen
• Very visual, it seems to be in 3D, complete the information and replace traditional static barbed arrows.
• Without exaggerated pretensions about weather forecasting’s technicals. This information will be useful for a better understanding of weather coming

Examples of graphical presentation

• For GFS Grib files (resolution 0.5 °), with and without barbed arrow

• GRIB files for the US Navy COAMPS (resolution 0.2 °)

• The COAMPS’s mesoscale resolution allows to better assess the effects of relief, and therefore, this presentation of particle motion, underline perfectly the topological characteristics of this region
  • For a clear explanation of COAMPS : http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/cgi-...
    It is at this level of detail, you can appreciate « screen » the risk of gusts or wind intensification.

• ... But these are only indications of decision support tools, the true security will always put his nose out the window (standing in the cockpit, it’s even better !!!)

Concrete example the storm Gonzalo, in the Aegean in late October 2014

« how to do » for Particle Map’s plugin

See for loading the display setting’s reference : http://www.plaisance-pratique.com/g... Download at least beta version of OpenCPN : v 3.3.2222 and higher Once properly configured, click on the Grib’s icon, into OpenCPN toolbar. Dans la fenêtre qui vient de s’ouvrir, cliquer sur ‘’Préférences’’ (c’est le petit cœur) In the window that just opened, click ’setting’ (the little heart) Check « Particle Map » to activate this option Select the data to be processed, it will be either wind or current. Choose an unit Check or uncheck “arrows barbed”

• Check or uncheck the option ’overlay map’
  • choose a type of default color
• Set the desired level of density for the particles, and also set the transparency rate overlay, if you choose to display the colors of the wind.
• For each option, confirm with ’Apply’, and to exit click ’’ OK ’’

And in the end you get this beautiful image ... Be careful, it seems that SE"s wind is coming on Glénan

Laorana, Finike, octobre 2014