Google Earth is a wonderful tool for the integration and visualization of different georeferenced datasets. With Hurricane Dean approaching the Gulf of Mexico, damage to the Gulf of Mexico oil and gas infrastructure is likely. Below, I give some useful Google Earth add-ons that will enable you to visualize the latest storm forecasts/imagery along with data about the Gulf of Mexico Oil&Gas production (click on the various links to install the individual tools or download this kmz file that will install a Hurricane folder in google Earth containing all the tools below):
Forecasts:
- Global Hurricane Forecasts by GuiWeather.
- Hurricane live tracker, storm tracks updated every 10 minutes
- History of Atlantic Basin Storms from 1850 to 2005.
Weather data:
- Ships and buoys weather observations
- NWS Enhanced Radar Images.
- Worldwide weather buoys and stations : from NDBC, US National Buoy Data Center (NOAA) with wind speed, air pressure and other sensors data, latest satellite wind map (QuickSCAT) and SST/Wave Height from Weatherunderground.
Imagery:
- Global Infrared
- Global Cloud Map
- Global Cloud Map same as above but with a better transparency.
- Latest Global Sea Surface Temperatures- from the Space Science And Engineering Center (SSEC) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
- Sea Surface Temperature from TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission), NASA / JAXA project
- MODIS Sea surface temperature.
- Update: Bathymetry and topography, 2 minute global relief.
Oil and gas data (Gulf of Mexico)
- 2004/2005 Oil Production.
- 2004/2005 Gas Production.
- Major Platforms
- Pipelines
- Oil and Gas wells.
- BP's Thunderhorse Oil Rig.
- Update: Mexico Offshore Oil Fields.
Once all the packages installed, you should get something like this:
6 comments:
Really cool, Khebab. Thanks. I haven't really used overlays like those before. What a great way to track the weather!
I got "file not found" errors for the Cantarell files though.
Make sure you have the last version of Google Earth (+4.1.1087.5048 (Beta)). Earlier versions may not support image in png format.
Nice blog khebab!!...just saw your post at PO.com.
Great contributions at TOD as well.
R.
Thanks, Khebab. Fixed. I shoudda thought of that...
Hi! im Perla from veracruz,mexico, it's now 10:49 pm on tuesday,and we are pretty scared cuz my family and i live 2 blocks away from the coast, it's quite calm right now, a little wind, not to much, but it supposed to get here in less than 11 hours, and it's starting to rain, we have never had this kind of issue cuz every torment or hurracaine has never got this close,i'll wrote you guys tomorrow, if i can, as soon as possible....
Hi Perla, I hope you and your family are now safe.
Good luck!
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