Downloading RIDGE Radar Images
Unlike the old radar display, "right clicking" on a RIDGE radar image will only allow you to copy or "save to the clipboard" the very top layer, based upon the selected overlays. In the toggle overlay section, just below the radar image, the right most selected overlay is the top image.
In the example above, the "Legend" graphic is the top image selected. Trying to save the RIDGE image will only save the legend graphic. In the toggle overlay example (below), the "Cities" overlay is the top graphic and the only one that can be saved by selecting the image.
A typical RIDGE radar view is comprised of seven individual images layered on top of each other through the use of style sheets. Except for the topography, these images are a "gif" format with a white background that has been made transparent. (The topography image is a compressed jpeg image.) To reproduce the RIDGE radar image, each layer needs to be captured and stacked on top of each other.
But it is not as bad as it sounds as fortunately, for any one radar site, once a copy of the overlays are obtained, only the radar image and the "Warnings" and "Legend" overlays change. The "Highways", "Topo", "Counties", "Rivers", and "Cities" overlays only needed to be downloaded once.
At present, there are three ways to obtain images from the RIDGE radar.
- Grunt method. Use the overlay toggles and "right click" on each layer to save it to the local computer. Remember, this only saves the right-most image as indicated by the toggle bar.
- Screen Capture. Use the toggle overlays to configure the image then use a screen capture utility to save the image to the local computer. This saves the steps needed to stack the images onto of each other in a graphics program and is also how all the RIDGE images used in this section were obtained.
- Download the individual files. All RIDGE radar images are downloadable and all that is needed is the URL. The table (below) provides the paths to each image. For the radar image, legend, or warnings images, the most recent graphic available ends in "_0.gif". For example, the most recent radar image for the Fort Worth Doppler radar is...
http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/RadarImg/N0R/FWS_N0R_0.gifTo view and retrieve the 20 most recent radar images then the URL is...http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/RadarImg/N0R/FWS/The filename format for these recent images is: xxx_YYYYMMDD_hhmm_N??.gif, where
xxx - Radar site ID
YYYY - year
MM - month
DD - day
hh - hour
mm - minutes
N?? - image ID (N0R, N0S, etc)
Ridge Graphics
The paths to the RIDGE graphics/images are...
- Base Reflectivity (out to 124 nm)
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/RadarImg/N0R/xxx (directory for past images)
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/RadarImg/N0R/xxx_NCR_0.gif (for current image)
Storm Relative Motion- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/RadarImg/N0S/xxx (directory for past images)
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/RadarImg/N0S/xxx_NCR_0.gif (for current image)
One-Hour Precipitation- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/RadarImg/N1P/xxx (directory for past images)
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/RadarImg/N1P/xxx_NCR_0.gif (for current image)
Composite Reflectivity- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/RadarImg/NCR/xxx (directory for past images)
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/RadarImg/NCR/xxx_NCR_0.gif (for current image)
Storm Total Precipitation- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/RadarImg/NTP/xxx (directory for past images)
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/RadarImg/NTP/xxx_NTP_0.gif (for current image)
Base Reflectivity (out to 248 nmi)- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/RadarImg/N0Z/xxx (directory for past images)
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/RadarImg/N0Z/xxx_NCR_0.gif (for current image)
Ridge Overlays
The paths to the RIDGE overlays are...
- Topography
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Overlays/Topo/Short/xxx_Topo_Short.jpg
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Overlays/Topo/Long/xxx_Topo_Long.jpg
County boundaries- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Overlays/County/Short/xxx_County_Short.gif
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Overlays/County/Long/xxx_County_Long.gif
Rivers- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Overlays/Rivers/Short/xxx_Rivers_Short.gif
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Overlays/Rivers/Long/xxx_Rivers_Long.gif
Highways- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Overlays/Highways/Short/xxx_Highways_Short.gif
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Overlays/Highways/Long/xxx_Highways_Long.gif
Cities- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Overlays/Cities/Short/xxx_City_Short.gif
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Overlays/Cities/Long/xxx_City_Long.gif
Warnings Overlay
The paths to the NWS severe weather warnings overlays are...
- Short range
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Warnings/Short/xxx (directory for past images)
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Warnings/Short/xxx_Warnings_0.gif (for current image)
Long range- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Warnings/Long/xxx (directory for past images)
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Warnings/Long/xxx_Warnings_0.gif (for current image)
Legend Overlays
The paths to the RIDGE legend overlays are...
- Base Reflectivity (out to 124 nm)
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Legend/N0R/xxx (directory for past images)
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Legend/N0R/xxx_N0R_Legend_0.gif (for current image)
Composite Reflectivity- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Legend/NCR/xxx (directory for past images)
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Legend/NCR/xxx_NCR_Legend_0.gif (for current image)
Storm Relative Motion- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Legend/N0S/xxx (directory for past images)
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Legend/N0S/xxx_N0S_Legend_0.gif (for current image)
Base Velocity- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Legend/N0V/xxx (directory for past images)
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Legend/N0V/xxx_N0V_Legend_0.gif (for current image)
One-Hour Precipitation- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Legend/N1P/xxx (directory for past images)
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Legend/N1P/xxx_N1P_Legend_0.gif (for current image)
Storm Total Precipitation- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Legend/NTP/xxx (directory for past images)
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Legend/NTP/xxx_NTP_Legend_0.gif (for current image)
Base Reflectivity (out to 248 nm)- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Legend/N0Z/xxx (directory for past images)
- http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Legend/N0Z/xxx_N0Z_Legend_0.gif (for current image)
- ABC - Bethel, AK
- ABR - Aberdeen, SD
- ABX - La Mesita Negra/Albuquerque, NM
- ACG - Sitka, AK
- AEC - Nome, AK
- AHG - Anchorage/Kenei, AK
- AIH - Middleton Islands, AK
- AKC - King Salmon, AK
- AKQ - Wakefield/Norfolk-Richmond, VA
- AMA - Amarillo, TX
- AMX - Miami, FL
- APD - Fairbanks, AK
- APX - Alpena/Gaylord, MI
- ARX - LaCrosse, WI
- ATX - Everett/Seattle-Tacoma, WA
- BBX - Beale AFB, CA
- BGM - Binghamton, NY
- BHX - Eureka, CA
- BIS - Bismarck, ND
- BLX - Billings, MT
- BMX - Shelby County AP/Birmingham, AL
- BOX - Taunton/Boston, MA
- BRO - Brownsville, TX
- BUF - Buffalo, NY
- BYX - Key West, FL
- CAE - Columbia, SC
- CBW - Caribou (Loring AFB), ME
- CBX - Boise, ID
- CCX - Moshannon St Forest/State College, PA
- CLE - Cleveland, OH
- CLX - Charleston, SC
- CRP - Corpus Christi, TX
- CXX - Burlington, VT
- CYS - Cheyenne, WY
- DAX - McClellan AFB/Sacremento, CA
- DDC - Dodge City, KS
- DFX - Bracketville/Laughlin AFB, TX
- DGX - Jackson/Brandon, MS
- DIX - Fort Dix, NJ/Philadelphia, PA
- DLH - Duluth, MN
- DMX - Acorn Valley/Des Moines, IA
- DOX - Dover AFB, DE
- DTX - Pontiac/Detroit, MI
- DVN - Davenport/Quad Cities, IA
- DYX - Moran/Dyess AFB, TX
- EAX - Pleasant Hill/KC, MO
- EMX - Tucson, AZ
- ENX - East Berne/Albany, NY
- EOX - Ft. Rucker, AL
- EPZ - El Paso, TX
- ESX - Las Vegas, NV
- EVX- Red Bay/Eglin AFB, FL
- EWX - New Braunfels AP/Austin-San Ant, TX
- EYX - Edwards AFB, CA
- FCX - Roanoke, VA
- FDR - Frederick, OK
- FDX - Field Village/Cannon AFB, NM
- FFC - Peach Tree City/Atlanta, GA
- FSD - Sioux Falls, SD
- FSX - Flagstaff, AZ
- FTG - Front Range AP/Denver, CO
- FWS - Spinks AP/Dallas-Ft Worth, TX
- GGW - Glasgow, MT
- GJX - Grand Junction, CO
- GLD - Goodland, KS
- GRB - Green Bay, WI
- GRK - Central Texas (Ft Hood), TX
- GRR - Grand Rapids/Muskegon, MI
- GSP - Greenville/Spartanburg (Greer), SC
- GUA - Andersen AFB, Guam
- GWX - Columbus AFB, MS
- GYX - Gray/Portland, ME
- HDX - Holloman AFB, NM
- HGX - League City/Houston, TX
- HKI - South Kauai, HI
- HKM - Kohala, HI
- HMO - Molokai, HI
- HNX - Hanford AP/San Joaquin Valley, CA
- HPX - Ft. Campbell, KY
- HTX - N.E./Hytop, AL
- HWA - South Hawaii, HI
- ICT - Wichita, KS
- ICX - Cedar City, UT
- ILN - Wilmington/Cincinnati, OH
- ILX - Central (Springfield), IL
- IND - Indianapolis, IN
- INX - Shreck Farm/Tulsa, OK
- IWA - Williams AFB/Phoenix, AZ
- IWX - Webster, IN
- JAX - Jacksonville, FL
- JGX - Robins AFB, GA
- JKL - Jackson, KY
- JUA - San Juan, PR
- LBB - Lubbock, TX
- LCH - Lake Charles, LA
- LGX - Langley Hill, WA
- LIX - Slidell AP/New Orleans, LA
- LNX - North Platte, NE
- LOT - Chicago, IL
- LRX - Elko, NV
- LSX - St Charles City/St Louis, MO
- LTX - Shallotte/Wilmington, NC
- LVX - Ft Knox Mil Res/Louisville, KY
- LWX - Sterling, VA/Washington DC
- LZK - Little Rock, AR
- MAF - Midland/Odessa, TX
- MAX - Medford, OR
- MBX - Minot AFB, ND
- MHX - Newport/Morehead City, NC
- MKX - Sullivan Township/Milwaukee, WI
- MLB - Melbourne, FL
- MOB - Mobile, AL
- MPX - Chanhassen Township/Minn-St.P, MN
- MQT - Marquette, MI
- MRX - Knoxville, TN
- MSX - Pt Six Mtn/Missoula, MT
- MTX - Promontory Pt/Salt Lake City, UT
- MUX - Mt Umunhum/San Francisco, CA
- MVX - Fargo, ND
- MXX - Carrville/Maxwell AFB, AL
- NKX - San Diego, CA
- NQA - Millington NAS/Memphis, TN
- OAX - Omaha, NE
- OHX - Old Hickory Mt/Nashville, TN
- OKX - Brookhaven/New York City, NY
- OTX - Spokane, WA
- PAH - Paducah, KY
- PBZ - Coraopolis/Pittsburgh, PA
- PDT - Pendleton, OR
- POE - Ft Polk, LA
- PUX - Pueblo, CO
- RAX - Triple West AP/Raleigh-Durham, NC
- RGX - Virginia Peak/Reno, NV
- RIW - Riverton, WY
- RLX - Charleston, WV
- RTX - Portland, OR
- SFX - Pocatello/Idaho falls, ID
- SGF - Springfield, MO
- SHV - Shreveport, LA
- SJT - San Angelo, TX
- SOX - Santa Ana Mountains/March AFB, CA
- SRX - Western Arkansas/Ft. Smith, AR
- TBW - Ruskin/Tampa Bay, FL
- TFX - Great Falls, MT
- TLH - Tallahassee, FL
- TLX - Twin Lakes/Oklahoma City, OK
- TWX - Wabaunsee County/Topeka, KS
- TYX - Ft Drum AFB/Montague, NY
- UDX - Rapid City, SD
- UEX - Grand Island, NE
- VAX - Moody AFB, GA
- VBX - Vandenberg AFB, CA
- VNX - Vance AFB, OK
- VTX - Sulphur Mtn/Los Angeles, CA
- VWX - Evansville, IN
- YUX - Yuma, AZ
Radars ID's by State
- Alabama
- BMX - Birmingham
- EOX - Fort Rucker
- HTX - Nrn. Alabama
- MOB - Mobile
- MXX - E. Alabama
Alaska- ABC - Bethel
- ACG - Sitka/Biorka Is.
- AEC - Nome
- AHG - Kenai
- AIH - Middleton Is.
- AKC - King Salmon
- APD - Fairbanks/Pedro Dome
Arizon- EMX - Tucson
- FSX - Flagstaff
- IWA - Phoenix
- YUX - Yuma
Arkansas- LZK - Little Rock
- SRX - W. Ark./Ft. Smith
California- BBX - Beale AFB
- BHX - Eureka
- DAX - Sacramento
- EYX - Edwards AFB
- HNX - Hanford/San Joaquin Vly.
- MUX - San Francisco Bay Area
- NKX - San Diego
- SOX - Santa Ana Mtns
- VBX - Vandenberg AFB
- VTX - Los Angeles/Oxnard
Colorado- FTG - Denver/Boulder
- GJX - Grand Junction
- PUX - Pueblo
Delaware- DOX - Dover AFB
Florida- AMX - Miami
- BYX - Key West
- EVX - Eglin AFB/NW Florida
- JAX - Jacksonville
- MLB - Melbourne
- TLH - Tallahassee
- TBW - Tampa Bay Area
Georgia- FFC - Atlanta/Peachtree City
- JGX - Robins AFB
- VAX- Moody AFB
Guam- GUA - Andersen AFB
Hawaii- HKI - Kauai
- HKM - Kohala
- HMO - Molokai
- HWA - South Shore
Idaho- CBX - Boise
- SFX - Pocatello
Illinois- ILX- Central IL
- LOT- Chicago
Indiana- IND - Indianapolis
- IWX - Nrn. Indiana
- VWX - Evansville
Iowa- DMX - Des Moines
- DVN - Quad Cities
Kansas- DDC - Dodge City
- GLD - Goodland
- ICT - Wichita
- TWX - Topeka
Kentucky- HPX - Fort Cambell
- JKL - Jackson
- LVX - Louisville
- PAH - Paducah
Louisiana- LCH - Lake Charles
- LIX - New Orleans
- POE - Fort Polk
- SHV - Shreveport
Maine- CBW - Caribou
- GVX - Portland
Maryland- LWX - Baltimore
Massachusetts- BOX - Boston
Michigan- APX - Gaylord
- DTX - Detroit
- BRR - Grand Rapids
- MQT - Marquette
Minnesota- DLH - Duluth
- MPX - Minneapolis
Mississippi- DGX - Jackson/Brandon
- GWX - Columbus AFB
Missouri- EAX - Kansas City
- LSX - St. Louis
- SGF - Springfield
Montana- BLX - Billings
- GGW - Glasgow
- MSX - Missoula
- TFX - Great Falls
Nebraska- LNX- North Platte
- OAX - Omaha
- UEX - Hastings
Nevada- ESX - Las Vegas
- LRX - Elko
- RGX - Reno
New Jersey- DIX- Mt. Holly
New Mexico- ABX - Albuquerque
- FDX - Cannon AFB
- HDX - Holloman AFB
New York- BGM - Binghamton
- BUF - Buffalo
- ENX - Albany
- OKX - New York City/Upton
- TYX - Montague
North Carolina- LTX - Wilmington
- MHX - Morehead City
- RAX - Raleigh/Durham
North Dakota- BIS - Bismarck
- MBX - Minot AFB
- MVX - Grand Forks
Ohio- CLE - Cleveland
- ILN - Wilmington/Dayton
Oklahoma- FDR - Frederick
- INX - Tulsa
- TLX - Oklahoma City
- VNX - Vance AFB
Oregon- MAX - Medford
- PDT - Pendleton
- RTX - Portland
Pennsylvania- CCX - State College
- DIX- Philadelphia
- PBZ - Pittsburgh
Puerto Rico- JUA - Puerto Rico/V.I.
South Carolina- CAE- Columbia
- CLX - Charleston
- GSP - Greenville/Spartanburg
South Dakota- ABR - Aberdeen
- FSD - Sioux falls
- UDX - Rapid City
Tennessee- MRX - Knoxville/Tri Cities
- NQA - Memphis
- OHX - Nashville
Texas- AMA - Amarillo
- BRO - Brownsville
- CRP - Corpus Christi
- DFX - Laughlin AFB
- DYX - Dyess AFB
- EPZ - El Paso
- EWX - Austin/San Antonio
- FWS - Dallas/Fort Worth
- GRK - Central Texas
- HGX - Houston/Galveston
- LBB - Lubbock
- MAF - Midland/Odessa
- SJT - San Angelo
Utah- ICX - Cedar City
- MTX- Salt Lake City
Vermont- CXX - Burlington
Virginia- AKQ - Norfolk/Richmond
- FCX - Blacksburg/Roanoke
- LWX - Sterling
Washington- ATX - Seattle/Tacoma
- LGX - Langley Hill
- OTX - Spokane
Washington D.C.- LWX - Washington
West Virginia- RLX - Charleston
Wisconsin- ARX - La Crosse
- GRB - Green Bay
- MKX - Milwaukee
Wyoming- CYS - Cheyenne
- RIW - Riverton