New MetService Website #2

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Sun 12/09/2004 23:38

A few final trimmings for the new MetService freeto air Website

1 : Could they put the time of the issue of the weather report.
2 : Include the Invercargill rain Radar
3 : Show the recent lightning strikes

then it would be a good update, up to what is required by international weather standards.

JohnGaul
NZTS

TonyT · Unread post by **TonyT** » Mon 13/09/2004 07:42

John, AFAIK, and I may well be wrong, but I dont think there is a rain radar at Invercargill. They have a radar they use for tracking sondes (like the ones at Paraparaumu and Kaitaia) which can sort of show rain in a crude and not very satisfactory way, but its not a doppler radar like the radars in Auckland, Wellington and Rakaia. Perhaps some of the MetService lurkers can correct me if I'm wrong.

Manukau heads obs · Mon 13/09/2004 07:50

http://www.southlandnz.com/Sections/weather/

check it out there...
seems to work ok

TonyT · Unread post by **TonyT** » Mon 13/09/2004 08:37

Thanks Brian, I was aware of that site. I'm still not convinced its a doppler radar like the others, but its certainly better than nothing. Interesting that Metservice will let another site show 15 min radar updates on the web, while it will only show 3 hourly updates from its other radars on its own site.

Manukau heads obs · Mon 13/09/2004 08:44

and the satellite animation is every hour too!
there must be some sort of contract in place...

Willoughby · Unread post by **Willoughby** » Mon 13/09/2004 11:03

[quote=
there must be some sort of contract in place...[/quote]

There is, I emailed metservice about the site, here's the reply.

<<< I LOVE the new site!! >>>
-- Thank you.

<<< Why is it that the Obs on SKY's weather channel are updated quicker
than on here? >>>
-- It'll have to do with (a) the different methods by which data is
delivered to Sky and http://www.metservice.co.nz, (b) data being delivered to
these two sites at differing intervals, and (c) whatever particular
business arrangements there may be between MetService and Sky over the
delivery of data. It's not a scripting error.

<<< It's also odd that Alexandra's forecast is missing ... >>>
-- It's a simple matter of our not providing forecasts for every single
place at http://www.metservice.co.nz - What does this mean?

<<< ... & the Invercargill rain radar... >>>
-- There are several reasons why this is not displayed. Firstly,
MetService's contract with the New Zealand Government for the provision
of weather services to the New Zealand Puvblic does not require it (see
http://www.metservice.co.nz/default/ind ... key=193628
for an outline of what's in the contract). Secondly, even if we were to
display Invercargill rain radar data it would be infrequent because the
radar is also used to track weather balloons.

<<< Now all you need to do in your forecasts for Hamilton, put the wind
forcast down somewhat! "Rain. Northerlies strengthening." A northerly
here is always breezy. Like today, "Southwest 35km/h", a gust maybe, but
not an average speed. I'd say that when you think it\'s going to be
windy, 4/5 times it's just a breeze, or not even. >>>
-- I can't make any comment on this. I've passed it on to relevant
forecast manager.[/i][/url]

CbFan · Unread post by **CbFan** » Mon 13/09/2004 13:31

From what I remember from a conversation with Bob McDavitt last year (or before?) the Invercargill dopp is a very small unit with only about 15km radius.

I recall making a post about it being mounted on a bicycle

, but that may have been on Brians original incarnation of the forum

Manukau heads obs · Mon 13/09/2004 13:43

i remember that post, he he

it does show rain showers across southland quite nicely though

Thunder · Unread post by **Thunder** » Mon 13/09/2004 14:20

It would be better if more frequent radars were possible. Tony, I also woundered about why the southland one updates more than the others, but I could always use metnet. I've never used that metnet thing, anyone here have any comments on it?

Do you still have the old forum Brian, saved somewhere or is it gone forever? Would be interesting to see all the comments of old.

Manukau heads obs · Mon 13/09/2004 14:27

i think cb fans posting was on this forum

no, i deleted the forum...sorry

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Mon 13/09/2004 16:13

Manukau heads observer wrote:i think cb fans posting was on this forum

no, i deleted the forum...sorry

I can remember it was quite funny

in context to what was being talked about.
Tony,I realize that the Invercargill Rain radar was not of the Doppler type like the other three but what I have seen of it on that Southland site it looks quite good and shows rain fall quite adequately for my observations

JohnGaul
NZTS

TonyT · Unread post by **TonyT** » Mon 13/09/2004 17:03

NZ Thunderstorm Soc wrote:Tony,I realize that the Invercargill Rain radar was not of the Doppler type like the other three but what I have seen of it on that Southland site it looks quite good and shows rain fall quite adequately for my observations

It seems to show rain well beyond 15km radius!

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Mon 13/09/2004 17:57

there must be some sort of contract in place

The contract should be to serve the public of NZ with SERVICE.

3 hourly radar updates for instance, are pathetic. Should be every 10minutes.

Manukau heads obs · Mon 13/09/2004 18:29

it all started with user pays

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Mon 13/09/2004 18:56

it all started with user pays

Yes, way back in the late 1980's if I remember correctly.

It would be interesting to know how much money the Goverment puts into the Met Service annually. What percentage of their revenue does this account for.

Michael · Unread post by **Michael** » Mon 13/09/2004 20:09

Rogernomics Ruthanasia

NZstorm wrote:
it all started with user pays
Yes, way back in the late 1980's if I remember correctly.

TonyT · Unread post by **TonyT** » Mon 13/09/2004 23:27

NZstorm wrote:
it all started with user pays
Yes, way back in the late 1980's if I remember correctly.

It would be interesting to know how much money the Goverment puts into the Met Service annually. What percentage of their revenue does this account for.

The current value of the Crown contract with Metservice is, we believe, around $14.8M pa, up from around $13M pa last year. We think this is around 50-60% of gross revenue, but remember there are significant costs to come out of that $14.8M, like running the observation network. Interestingly the Crown contract has never been put out to public tender since it was first signed in, I think, 1992, and I am told has no expiry date. It will only expire if either party gives 3 years notice.

Manukau heads obs · Tue 14/09/2004 06:22

a keen group of amateaur enthusistiats could do alot with a cool 14m !
(but, I am very pleased with the new level of service from the met service, dont get me wrong!)

Michael · Unread post by **Michael** » Tue 14/09/2004 08:00

It was 1992 it had to be a business,can remember all those years as well all wet and horrible,1988 rained from June-December everyday,1989 was a little better but the persistant NE that year did bring either sunny days but very wet ones and 1990 you know it rained every weekend for months,91 was cold the winter started early lots of frosts and a wet spring and 1992 cold and wet

TonyT wrote:
NZstorm wrote: Yes, way back in the late 1980's if I remember correctly.

It would be interesting to know how much money the Goverment puts into the Met Service annually. What percentage of their revenue does this account for.
The current value of the Crown contract with Metservice is, we believe, around $14.8M pa, up from around $13M pa last year. We think this is around 50-60% of gross revenue, but remember there are significant costs to come out of that $14.8M, like running the observation network. Interestingly the Crown contract has never been put out to public tender since it was first signed in, I think, 1992, and I am told has no expiry date. It will only expire if either party gives 3 years notice.

winzurf · Unread post by **winzurf** » Thu 16/09/2004 07:39

We've added a print friendly option to some pages - there will be more enhancements in due course.

Regards
Bruce

NZ Weather Forum

New MetService Website #2

New MetService Website #2

Re: New MetService Website #2

Print friendly pages are now available