MakeHazard

A Procedure for Creating Hazards

Methodology

The MakeHazard procedure is the primary interface for creating and editing hazards in GFE, excluding convective and tropical hazards, which have their own procedures (PlotSPCWatches and PlotTCPEvents). For more on how to use the MakeHazard tool and general hazard methodology, check Hazard Methodlogy.

Starting MakeHazard
Description of Interface
Shortcuts
Configuration

Starting MakeHazard

MakeHazard is started by selecting MakeHazard under the Hazards menu.

Make Hazards Menu

Description of MakeHazard Interface

After selecting this, the tool interface will display

Make Hazards Tool (Blank)

Here is the function of each component:

Map Area
Map - This displays the area of a potential hazard visually.

Zoom In Button - Zooms closer in on map.
Zoom Out Button - Zoom further out on map.
Zoom 1:1 - Returns map to default zoom level.

Clear All - Clears all selected counties from map.
Select All - Selects all selected counties on map.

Map Labels - When checked, labels the zones (WIZ001 format) or counties (WIC001 format).

Select Hazard Area
Hazard List - Allows the selection of one hazard from list.
Hazard Category Toggles - Allows selection of general categories of Hazards, and changes Hazard List as needed.
ETN/Segment Number - Allows entry of an ETN (Only TO.A or SV.A, not normally needed), or a segment identifier.

Time Area
Start Hazard Time - Sets the starting time of the hazard in the grid.
End Hazard Time - Sets the ending time of the hazard in the grid.

Invocation Buttons
Run - Runs the tool for selected settings
Run/Dismiss - Runs the tool, then closes.
Cancel - Closes the tool without running.

Shortcuts

The following tips may help:

The Hazard Grids are automatically separated when the procedure is started.
It can be tedious to always have to select the time area, zones, category, and hazard. If you already have a temporary hazard element selected (simply by clicking on the weather element or a grid in that weather element, then the time selectors, the hazard, and the category and zones will automatically be set when the interface is displayed.

Configuration of MakeHazard

You can easily configure the hazards which display in the hazard lists, and the categories available, by creating an override at SITE level to the procedure. In the configuration section, located in method setUI, you can set the map types, hazard lists, categories, default categories, and more. See the example below.

MakeHazard Configuration screen

The most important sections for configuration are the mapNames and the hazardDict. Each hazard that you want to appear in the menus must be associated with a category. Each category must be associated with a map background (or map backgrounds). For example, the HU.W (Hurricane Warning) is part of the "Tropical Cyclone" group in the hazardDict. The "Tropical Cyclone" category uses the Zones_<site>, Marine_Zones_<site>, and Offshore_Marine_Zones_<site> map backgrounds.

If the lists are not synchronized properly, then the procedure will not work. Categories may be added and removed, and individual hazards may be added and removed (including locally defined hazards). The list of map backgrounds contain <site>, which is replaced with your real site identifier when the procedure runs. The list of map backgrounds assumes that you are using the standard set of map shapefiles and map names as defined in Maps.py.

How It Works

The MakeHazard first separates out the Hazards grid into separate haz* temporary weather elements. The user chooses the type of event, the time, and the area (either on the grid as a selected area or by using the map), and presses Run or Run/Dismiss. The temporary weather element is created (if not already there) and the grid is created/edited as appropriate.