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(U) The Weather is Fine
FROM:
Team Chief, Worldwide SIGINT Weather Branch (S2A15)
Run Date: 11/15/2004
New tool delivers global weather information in an easy-to-use format (S//SI)
(S//SI) After nearly a year of preparation, ArcIMS Weather is now operational. It is a tool that
combines Special Weather Intelligence (SWI) reporting with ArcIMS technology to interpret and
display real-time weather, from normally denied areas (i.e. not available through open sources),
at the click of a mouse. ArcIMS Weather was developed by the combined efforts of the GIS
Solutions Division (S2L2) and Regional Targets' Worldwide Weather Branch (S2A15).
(S//SI) With ArcIMS Weather, the warfighter, intelligence analyst, planner or decision-maker can
view the target environment with unprecedented flexibility and responsiveness, and can make
operational decisions based on the latest weather updates. The tool will also support a rapidly
growing Intelligence Community and DOD demand for an operational, cost-effective method to
access SWI by reaching out to 65,000 Intelligence and Defense Community personnel via
INTELINK.
(S//SI) ArcIMS has an easy-to-use application interface. All the customer needs is Internet
Explorer and a Java plug-in. (In future, the website will be viewable in multiple browsers and not
require a Java plug-in.) Over half of the six million annual weather reports that S2A15 processes
annually are available on ArcIMS Weather. The tool operates from a "live feed" with data
constantly updating from the time that the user first accesses the webpage. Future upgrades to
the website will provide archiving capabilities, as well.
(S//SI) The data is displayed in a stoplight format (red/green/yellow), with red indicating bad
weather and green indicating good weather (based on aviation parameters). This format
provides the customer with an overall quick assessment. Click on a dot and an attribute window
is displayed with easy-to-read details. The "stoplight" represents a significant upgrade from the
standard weather code. It reduces time spent looking for the data -- one click and you have
your information. Previously, users needed to click 5-6 times and then use a "cheat sheet" to
break down the code.
(U//FOUO) To get started, open Microsoft Internet Explorer and type in "go swi" (
). Then click on the link (near the top of the webpage) to the "point
and click" display.
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108