New York Evacuation Zones

The New York Times' New York City Hurricane Evacuation Zones Google Map shows the three evacuation zones in New York.



The zones are based on the strength of the hurricane making landfall. New York is preparing for the threat of storm surges with the closure of the entire public transportation system.





Climate Central has created a Google Map showing the areas in lower Manhattan, New Jersey and Brooklyn that are most at risk of storm surges from Hurricane Irene.



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Google Crisis Response - Hurricane Irene

Google Crisis Response has put together a Google Map for the 2011 Hurricane Season. The map currently shows the projected route of Hurricane Irene with the option of viewing a number of other layers on the map.



As well as viewing the forecast track of Hurricane Irene the map includes:

• a cloud imagery layer from the Navy Research Lab
• a layer showing coastal areas placed under tropical cyclone watches or warnings
• evacuation routes from FEMA
• a surge storm probability layer
• real-time Stream Gage Data from USGS

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New York Evacuation Zones on Google Maps

The New York Times' Hurricane Irene Tracking Map is probably the only map of Hurricane Irene that you will need.



This Google Map shows the projected path of the hurricane with forecasted wind speeds along the path. It is also possible to overlay the latest satellite pictures of the hurricane on top of the map.





WYNC are also using Google Maps, in their case to display New York City Evacuation Zones.



The map shows three zones in the city:

• Zone A - with the highest risk of flooding from ANY hurricane near NYC.
• Zone B - potential flooding from a Category 2+ hurricanes.
• Zone C - potential flooding from a Category 3-4 hurricane hitting just south of NYC.

The map includes links to the latest official information and to WYNC's own Google Map of Hurricane Irene's projected path.



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Storm Surge Simulation with Google Maps

Florida International University has used Google Maps to create a Storm Surge Simulator for Miami-Dade County in Florida.



Storm surge is the greatest threat to life and property from a hurricane. It occurs when water from the ocean is pushed toward the shore by the force of the winds swirling around a hurricane.



This simulator allows residents of Miami-Dade County to enter an address and visualize the potential risk of a hurricane based on the severity of a storm.



Via: Mapperz



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Tracking Hurricane Irene with Google Maps

iMap Weather's Google Map allows you to view the projected path and strength of Hurricane Irene and overlay other weather data, such as rainfall and radar imagery.





Storm Advisory use Google Maps to show the track and projected track of hurricanes. The map currently shows Hurricane Irene as an H2 category storm. StormAdvisory also features a news ticker of the latest hurricane news.





IbisEye is also tracking Hurricane Irene with the help of Google Maps. The map includes constantly updated statistics on the hurricane. At the time of writing IbisEye says that the maximum recorded wind from Irene, so far, is 109 mph.





WunderMap's Google Map of Hurricane Irene also allows you to overlay the latest satellite imagery of cloud cover.



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Google Maps Gets Weather

Google Maps now has a weather layer!







If you select the weather layer on Google Maps you can view the current temperature and weather conditions for where ever you are. You can also see the current cloud coverage for the whole world.



If you want a weather forecast for a location you can also click on the weather icon for a particular city. An info window will then open with a detailed summary of current humidity and wind conditions, as well as a forecast for the next four days.



Via: Official Google Blog



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The Worldwide Tropical Storm Tracker

The UK Met Office has created a new Google Maps based application to monitor and forecast tropical cyclones around the world.

The application allows you to view worldwide cloud conditions and the locations of current cyclones. If you select a cyclone on the map you can view the cyclone's observed track and wind speeds recorded along the track.

As well as viewing current tropical storm conditions it is also possible to view historical storm information. For example you can view the track of the 2005 Hurricane Katrina.

Met Office: Storm Tracker

Wave Height & Direction with Google Maps

Meteo Mari e Venti

I think this is the first real-time wave height map that has been featured on Google Maps Mania. Meteo Mari e Venti is a Google Map that shows wave and wind height and direction predictions for the Mediterranean Sea.

There are four map views available on Meteo Mari e Venti, wave height and direction, period and wave direction, wind at 10m and wind gusts. Each of the maps show the current weather conditions. You can also view the forecasts for the next 120 hours using the buttons above the map.

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2011 Tornado Damage - Before & After

2011 Tornado Damage - Before and After

Using aerial imagery from the NOAA and from Google Maps I've started putting together a series of before and after comparison views of the damage caused by the 2011 tornadoes.

The comparison tool uses a slide control that you can drag to compare the post-tornado imagery from the NOAA with the pre-tornado imagery from Google Maps.

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Tornado Damage Aerial Imagery

NOAA - 2011 Tornado Damage Imagery
The NOAA has released aerial imagery of the damage caused by this year's high tornado activity in the US.

Here is a location in Birmingham as seen in Google Maps and in the new aerial imagery from the NOAA:





Using Google Map it is possible to browse the uploaded imagery by location. If you click on one of the red square overlays on the map you can select to view the aerial imagery for that location in either low or high resolution.

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Mississippi Flooding on Google Maps

Mississippi Flooding Map

The Mississippi River watershed has experienced record rainfall over large areas and the river, and many of its tributaries, have begun to swell to record levels. This Google Map allows you to view a number of layers from the American Red Cross, GeoEye and the National Weather Service.

The map includes an overlay from the US Army Corps of Engineers which allows you to view the estimated inundation as a polygon on the map. The American Red Cross layer shows the locations of available shelters. The GeoEye layers allow you to view recent satellite imagery for a number of areas affected by the flooding.

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Viewing Tornado Damage on Google Maps

SellersPhoto - Tornado Damage Map

SellersPhoto have taken a series of aerial photographs of the damage caused by the recent North Alabama tornado. You can view the photographs directly on this Google Map of the area.

The map markers point in the direction that each photograph was taken. If you click on a marker the picture is displayed in an information window. You can click on the picture to view it in a larger size in a new browser window.

It is also possible to purchase prints of any of the individual photographs. A portion of the proceeds will go to the victims of the tornado.

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The Rain in Spain Falls on Google Maps

El Tiempo

Spanish newspaper El Mundo has created a very nice Google Map to show the weather in Spain.

The map's default view displays today's weather, however you can use the numbered icons at the top of the map to view the forecast for the next three days. If you click on any of the weather icons displayed on the map you can view today's weather at that location and view a quick three day forecast.

The map also includes a number of optional overlays to view precipitation and maximum and minimum temperatures.

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The History of Weather on Google Maps

WeatherSpark

On the day of my birth the sun emerged from the clouds and light shone upon the Earth. I know it was so because WeatherSpark told me.

WeatherSpark is a pretty amazing Google Map of current and historical weather conditions. The site lets you view the historical records of over 4,000 weather stations.

If you want to know what the weather was like in Honolulu on the day of Barack Obama's birth in August 1961 all you have to do is use the time-line to bring up the correct date and centre the map on Honolulu. You can then view the recorded weather for that day (a balmy 30 degrees centigrade).

If you are more interested in today's weather you can just centre the map on your location and view the current temperature and the current precipitation radar results.

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Japanese Radiation Wind Map

Fukushima Wind Map

This Japanese Google Map displays wind predictions around the Fukushima power plant. The prediction data is taken from the Japanese Meteorological Association.

The map includes a slider control that allows you to view the predicted wind direction and speed at different times. If you move the slider to the right you can view the predicted wind directions. If you move the slider to the left you can view the wind predictions for the past few hours.

The map is based on a predicted model so the wind speeds and directions will be different on the ground. You can view the real-time wind direction on this Google Map from the same developers.

Also See

• Japan Radiation Maximum by Prefecture - a radiation readings map using data from System for Prediction of Environment Emergency Dose Information (SPEEDI)
• RDTN.org Japanese Radiation Levels - another map showing Pachube radiation feeds
• Greenpeace Map of Radiation Measurements - Google Map of radiation levels in Japan taken by Greenpeace radiation experts
• Japan Geigermap - a map of Japanese Geiger counter readings

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The Data Buoys on Google Maps

National Data Buoy Center Map

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) operates, and maintains a network of data collecting buoys and coastal stations. The stations measure wind speed, direction, and gust; barometric pressure; and air temperature. The NDBC are using Google Maps to show the locations, and to allow you to view the collected data, of NDBC buoys and the buoys of other providers around the world.

The map allows you to filter for stations by program and/or operator. You can choose to view only the stations from a particular program or show only the stations belonging to a particular owner. It is also possible to display or hide the station identification labels on the map by selecting the Show Labels option.

If you click on a center's map marker you can view the most recent data collected. The map also includes an option to share or save the current map view.

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A Google Map Warning of Rain

Rain Alarm

This Google Map based application will send you a warning when rain is approaching.

Rain Alarm displays an animation of current precipitation and can warn you against approaching rain or snow. The app checks a perimeter of 75 km around your selected location every 30 minutes. If rain is approaching your location the map will then sound the alarm.

The app is currently available for the USA, Canada, Australia, the UK, Ireland, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain including the Balearic and the Canary Islands.

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Maps of Tropical Cyclone Yasi

ABC Net Cyclone Season Map

ABC News in Australia is using Google Maps to display the path of tropical cyclone Yasi.

The map shows the current position of the cyclone and its projected path. Numbers are shown along the projected path to show its predicted strength. You can click on the numbers to view the time of the cyclone's estimated arrival at that location.

Also See

Aus-emaps Severe Weather Map - the latest satellite image of the approaching cyclone and wind speed information

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Cyclone Yasi on Google Maps

Aus-emaps Severe Weather Map

Queensland in Australia just can't catch a break at the moment. Fresh from devastating floods the area is now braced for the impact of category 5 cyclone Yasi.

The latest satellite image of the approaching cyclone and wind speed information for the impact area can be monitored live on aus-emaps.com’s Hazards Monitor pages (courtesy of the Bureau of Meteorology web services). If you turn on the 'Clouds' overlay on this Google Map you can view the satellite image.

Aus-emaps has also produced a shareable reference map of the cyclone. The map includes a kmz file that contains the latest BOM update on tropical cyclone Yasi.

Via: All Things Spatial

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Google Crisis Response - Queensland

Queensland Floods

The Google Crisis Response team has produced what looks to be a very useful Google Map for anyone affected by the current flooding in Australia.

The map initially shows the levels of flooding but also includes a number of other layers. A layer showing Queensland road closures should be very useful for anyone in that area. There is also a layer to view the locations of evacuation centres.

The map includes two layers displaying third party data. One from ABC displays the towns and cities affected by the floods and another from SBS shows the worst affected areas.

Also See

• ABC Qld Flood Crisis Map - Map using the Ushahidi crisis reporting platform.
• Tweak the Tweet Queensland Flooding - map showing the latest #qldfloods Tweets
• Australian Early Warning Network - Bureau of Meteorology information and emergency alerts

You can donate to the Flood Relief Appeal here.

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