If you already follow @weatherwatches on Twitter, you will be excited to see what comes next.

When switched to version two, there will be several improvements:

• The data will be derived from the LDM server, which will afford up to a 30 second better lead time.  The data will continue to be pulled from the aviation notices, which are issued a few minutes ahead of the actual watch discussion.  (Typical lead time is 5 minutes over almost all other media.)
• A state list with local expiration time.  (Slightly updated from the current method.)
• A list of cities in the watch box, ordered by affected population.
• A link to an interactive map before the watch is even issued.
• When mesoscale discussions are designed “watch needed soon” or “watch likely”, there will be an announcement, along with the state and city list inside the area of concern.

This all happens automatically, usually less than 5 seconds after the products are sent from Norman.

Links

weatherwatches – Always the latest, the new version will appear here in a few days.
weatherwatches2 – If you’re feeling adventurous, follow the beta version!  (Tweets will stop when the switch happens, so follow weatherwatches, too.)

I am ready to release the first public beta of my Spotter Network client for Windows Mobile smart phones and pocket PCs.

If you’re a Spotter Network user and would like to use your Windows Mobile device to update your location, this may be of interest to you.  You can download the installer and view instructions on the Spotter Network Client development page.

Synopsis

An unusual winter tornado outbreak in Oklahoma as seen from the KTLX RADAR site in Oklahoma City.  If you need a corroborating time-line, KOCO-TV published an excellent minute-by-minute account on their weather blog.

Download (965 MB)

• KTLX RADAR Data – A compressed file containing Level II volume scans from 2009-02-10 (00:00) to 2009-02-11 (16:00) UTC.