SkippySky : Aussie Astro weather forecast tool

andrew_d_cool (Andrew) · #1 24-11-2008, 11:33 AM

Hello All,

I invite you to check out www.skippysky.com.au for a new weather-map style method of presenting Cloud Cover, Seeing, Transparency, Dewing Risk, Wind Speed, Temperature and Pressure(MSL).

SkippySky uses the same GFS data as 7timer, etc, but presents that data in a format that we're all familiar with and interpret everyday on the TV.

This is only a first stab at a website, and the creation and uploading of the data is not yet automated - I'm still very much in the loop!

There's no Help file yet - a work in progress. But hopefully the maps and the colour legends are largely self explanatory.

Ideas for improvement are welcome.

Regards,

Andrew

h0ughy (David) · #2 24-11-2008, 11:59 AM

how often is it updated? can you do a eastern aust version?

andrew_d_cool (Andrew) · #3 24-11-2008, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by h0ughy

how often is it updated? can you do a eastern aust version?

Umm, it's got 'SouthEast Australia' there right now in the list of regions
along the top of the page.

Andrew

h0ughy (David) · #4 24-11-2008, 12:26 PM

ahh so it has - what about the updates for the data?

andrew_d_cool (Andrew) · #5 24-11-2008, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by h0ughy

ahh so it has - what about the updates for the data?

Hi,

Once a day for updates. New GFS data is released every 6 hours, but my experience from having used SkippySky for a while now is that a daily update is sufficient to give you a feel for the trend of what's going to happen.

Of course, I've also got to fight my way to the PC past the wife and kids...

I'm hoping to have everything done as chron job on the servers that host the website, and thus take me out of the immediate loop, some time in the near future.

Andrew

sheeny (Al) · #6 24-11-2008, 01:28 PM

That's looking quite good Andrew!

Looking forward to it being fully automated.

Al.

dannat (Daniel) · #7 24-11-2008, 04:15 PM

it does look good - what time is it updated?

andrew_d_cool (Andrew) · #8 24-11-2008, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannat

it does look good - what time is it updated?

Hi,

At the moment, because it's an 100% manual process, sometime in the evening when I can get near the PC. The latest GFS dataset is being downloaded as I type, to be followed by the SkippySky processing, and then the ftping of 1,485 images up to the website.

Sorry its rather vague - but we can only get better!

Why just 10 minutes ago I fixed the Javascript to show the Jetstream files
that were there but unheralded... ;-)

Cheers,

Andrew

Astro78 · #9 24-11-2008, 09:36 PM

Looks useful indeed mate, it's now saved to fav's. Looking forwards to putting this to use.

DaveO (David) · #10 11-03-2010, 08:50 PM

Hi guys

Andrew has done an update, and it now has a special section for SE Queensland. Enjoy.

pgc hunter · #11 11-03-2010, 09:02 PM

I found it to be scarily accurate when it predicts cloud .

duncan · #12 11-03-2010, 09:20 PM

Looks like a great site, saved to favourites.

DavidU (Dave) · #13 11-03-2010, 10:08 PM

I use it all the time, sensational site !

mswhin63 (Malcolm) · #14 11-03-2010, 11:52 PM

I use it as well, brilliant site

Esseth (Alan) · #15 12-03-2010, 07:34 AM

Yeah i use it often when planning weekends away, great site.

OneOfOne (Trevor) · #16 12-03-2010, 07:50 AM

I have used it since the VicSouth a couple of years ago where someone talked about it. I noticed yesterday that they have made a few changes to it....even more useful. It is one of the first things I look at.

allan gould · #17 12-03-2010, 12:43 PM

Great site which is only getting better. Now saved to favorites.