Main Menu (top)

The top main menu consists of two different parts. We will look at the upper left hand corner first.

There is two sections. The top section contains a navigation bar and the bottom section contains information about how you are logged in, including your eMail address, the NWS Office where you are connection, the county and state and the current data and time (local and zulu time).  The navigation bar does the following:

• Location
  You can change your location here. This is especially useful if you have become mobile, or if you report from different portions of your area frequently.
• Create Report
  When you click Create Report, you can report Severe Weather or Winter Weather.
• Messages
  When you click Messages, you can review messages that require your attention. You can also click "More Messages" in the right hand menu. An example of the the right hand menu can be seen to the right. The "Recent Messages" shows your login name, you county location and your NWS County Warning Area. If you need to change any of these items, please click on Location in the top menu.
• Log Out
  Well, what can we say about this one? It allows you to log out of the eSpotter system. Please avoid closing the browser to log out. Formally logging out will make sure that you are properly removed from the active eSpotter list kept by the system.

Weather Report Status
In the upper right hand portion of the main menu is a report status indicator. Check out the example seen on the right.

It is a simple indicator of the number of reports you have submitted. When the report is receive by your local NWS office, the received indicator changes to reflect the report. The Status indicator also reports which NWS office you are connected to.

If a message is sent to you, the Weather Report Status indicator will change. It will look similar to the graphic on your right. Click on "Read" and you will be transported to the Messages section of eSpotter.

Lets take a look at the center part of the main menu.

Main Menu (center)