Abstract: A system and method for presenting lightning strike information in a manner so as to be easily understood and appreciated by viewers of televised weather report presentations and the like. Lightning strike information is displayed with a marker and textual indication of the lightning strike location in a viewer friendly format, e.g., a street address. Lightning strike data from a lightning strike data source is filtered to select individual lightning strikes to be displayed and processed to obtain the viewer friendly lightning strike location information to be presented overlaid on a geographic map or satellite image background. Personalized lighting strike information indicating the distance of a lighting strike from a viewer location of interest may be generated and provided directly to individual viewers via the interne, cellular phones, and/or other wired or wireless communication channels.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating a weather index mapped to a road segment for a particular time frame includes receiving weather condition information for a plurality of time periods, parsing the weather condition information to determine weather conditions for a road segment defined by a starting point and an ending point for the plurality of time periods, and generating a plurality of weather indices for the road segment. Each weather index is associated with one of the plurality of time periods and is representative of a predicted traffic impact based on historical information of the received weather conditions for the road segment. The plurality of time periods includes at least one future time period and the weather condition information includes forecasted weather information.

Abstract: A system and method for presenting wind speed information in a manner so as to be easily understood and appreciated by viewers of televised weather report presentations and the like. Wind speed information is presented as a planar representation of three-dimensional wind speed data using contour lines, delineating areas with a planar location in the three dimensional data, overlaid on a geographic map display either alone, or in combination with radar reflectivity information. Wind velocity information received from a weather radar system, such as NEXRAD, relative to the weather radar is converted to absolute wind speed information for display.

Abstract: A system and method for presenting lightning strike information in a manner so as to be easily understood and appreciated by viewers of televised weather report presentations and the like. Lightning strike information is displayed with a marker and textual indication of the lightning strike location in a viewer friendly format, e.g., a street address. Lightning strike data from a lightning strike data source is filtered to select individual lightning strikes to be displayed and processed to obtain the viewer friendly lightning strike location information to be presented overlaid on a geographic map or satellite image background. Personalized lighting strike information indicating the distance of a lighting strike from a viewer location of interest may be generated and provided directly to individual viewers via the interne, cellular phones, and/or other wired or wireless communication channels.

Abstract: A system and method for presenting lightning strike information in a manner so as to be easily understood and appreciated by viewers of televised weather report presentations. Lightning strike information is displayed with a marker and textual indication of the lightning strike location in a viewer friendly format. Lightning strike data from a lightning strike data source is filtered to select individual lightning strikes to be displayed and processed to obtain the viewer friendly lightning strike location information to be presented overlaid on a geographic map or satellite image background. Personalized lightning strike information indicating the distance of a lightning strike from a viewer location of interest may be generated and provided directly to individual viewers via the internet, cellular phone, and/or other wired or wireless communication channels.

Abstract: A system and method for presenting wind speed information in a manner so as to be easily understood and appreciated by viewers of televised weather report presentations and the like. Wind speed information is presented as a planar representation of three-dimensional wind speed data using contour lines, delineating areas with a planar location in the three dimensional data, overlaid on a geographic map display either alone, or in combination with radar reflectivity information. Wind velocity information received from a weather radar system, such as NEXRAD, relative to the weather radar is converted to absolute wind speed information for display.

Abstract: A computer-implemented personalized weather presentation method. The method includes generating personalized weather information (68) and presenting the personalized weather information (68) using a user-selected weather presentation animated presenter (232). The presentation is configured (214, 222) based on the content of the generated personalized weather information (68).

Abstract: A system and method for presenting wind speed information in a manner so as to be easily understood and appreciated by viewers of televised weather report presentations and the like. Wind speed information is presented as two or three-dimensional wind speed contour lines, delineating geographic areas corresponding to different wind speeds, overlaid on a geographic map display either alone, or in combination with radar reflectivity information. Wind velocity information received from a weather radar system, such as NEXRAD, relative to the weather radar is converted to absolute wind speed information for display.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating a weather index mapped to a road segment for a particular time frame includes receiving weather condition information for a plurality of time periods, parsing the weather condition information to determine weather conditions for a road segment defined by a starting point and an ending point for the plurality of time periods, and generating a plurality of weather indices for the road segment. Each weather index is associated with one of the plurality of time periods and is representative of a predicted traffic impact based on historical information of the received weather conditions for the road segment. The plurality of time periods includes at least one future time period and the weather condition information includes forecasted weather information.

Abstract: A system and method for presenting wind speed information in a manner so as to be easily understood and appreciated by viewers of televised weather report presentations and the like. Wind speed information is presented as two or three-dimensional wind speed contour lines, delineating geographic areas corresponding to different wind speeds, overlaid on a geographic map display either alone, or in combination with radar reflectivity information. Wind velocity information received from a weather radar system, such as NEXRAD, relative to the weather radar is converted to absolute wind speed information for display.

Abstract: A system for targeting electronic advertising using weather related parameters simplifies the complexity of such a targeting system by using predefined templates that reduce multiple weather data into a quantitative metric that may be used in real time for automatic selection among a variety of different competing advertisements. The templates may conflate not only weather related data but also information about the consumer and may direct that the weather related data be from dates before or after the date of the delivery of the advertisement. Method of refining the templates and automatically assigning them are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for generating and delivering to users combined personalized traffic and weather report and alerts including forecast traffic and weather conditions. A user defines a travel route of interest and alert conditions. Based on current weather information, weather forecast information, current traffic information, and forecast traffic conditions a combined traffic and weather report for the user specified route is generated and delivered to the user via the internet and/or a wireless communications channel. The combined report may include a graphic display on a map background showing traffic conditions with a graphic representation of weather conditions overlaid thereon along with a tabular representation of traffic and weather conditions including forecast traffic and weather conditions for a plurality of future time periods. Alerts are generated and delivered when the traffic and weather alert conditions are satisfied.

Abstract: A system and method for generating storm warnings which are precisely tailored automatically for a particular individual or business user's geographic location of interest. The user establishes an individualized user profile, in which the user may define a particular location of interest and a contact address to which a personalized storm warning is to be delivered. The user may also establish a storm profile defining characteristics of a storm for which the user desires a storm warning to be provided. A detailed and accurate storm track is generated. Generated storm tracks are compared to individual user profiles. Personalized storm warnings are generated for user profiles defining locations of interest within a predicted storm track, if the storm track characteristics of the storm meet the characteristics specified in the storm profile established by the user, and may be delivered to users via e-mail, cell phone, pager, etc.

Abstract: A system and method for generating weather reports and the like which are precisely computed automatically for a particular individual user's geographic location and which are provided automatically to the individual user. A user establishes an individualized user profile in which the user defines a particular location of interest, a contact address, and optionally, a personalized activity weather condition profile. A detailed and accurate weather forecasting model is run to provide high geographic and temporal resolution forecast data. The high resolution forecast data is compared to the individual user profile and a personalized weather report for the particular location, times, and conditions of interest are provided automatically to the individual, e.g., via e-mail and/or at a personalized internet web page. A detailed weather forecast report may be provided in an easily readable tabular form, with notable weather conditions, e.g., daily high and low temperatures, highlighted.

Abstract: A system and method for generating weather reports and the like which are precisely computed automatically for a particular individual user's geographic location and which are provided automatically to the individual user. A user establishes an individualized user profile in which the user defines a particular location of interest, a contact address, and optionally, a personalized activity weather condition profile, establishing a preferred weather condition profile for activities of interest. A detailed and accurate weather forecasting model is run to provide high geographical and temporal resolution forecast data. The resulting modeled forecast data may be constrained by an operator using a constrainer module. The high resolution forecast data is compared to the individual user profile and a personalized weather report for the particular location, times, and conditions of interest are provided automatically to the individual, e.g., via e-mail and/or at a personalized internet web page.

Abstract: A system and method for targeting the delivery of information content to selected potential recipients thereof using a combination of environmental and demographic information related to such potential recipients. Environmental information used may include weather information, such as weather forecast information obtained from weather forecast models. Demographic information includes locations of interest, lifestyle, and other demographic information for potential recipients. Based on a combination of such environmental and demographic information, selected information content, such as advertising information, is targeted for delivery to selected ones of the potential recipients to whom such content is likely to be most valuable. Content may be delivered to the recipient in any manner, including via an e-mail or Internet web page.

Abstract: A system and method for generating storm warnings which are precisely tailored automatically for a particular individual or business user's geographic location of interest. The user establishes an individualized user profile, in which the user may define a particular location of interest and a contact address to which a personalized storm warning is to be delivered. The user may also establish a storm profile defining characteristics of a storm for which the user desires a storm warning to be provided. A detailed and accurate storm track is generated. Generated storm tracks are compared to individual user profiles. Personalized storm warnings are generated for user profiles defining locations of interest within a predicted storm track, if the storm track characteristics of the storm meet the characteristics specified in the storm profile established by the user, and may be delivered to users via e-mail, cell phone, pager, etc.

Abstract: A dynamic graphical information presentation is generated and overlaid onto a time-lapse video image sequence to form a combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation. The time-lapse photography video image sequence and dynamic graphical information presentation are preferably time synchronized in the combined presentation. For a weather presentation of past weather conditions, the time-lapse photography video image sequence may be a video image sequence of sky conditions, with the dynamic graphical information presentation generated based on weather conditions recorded for the same period of time from a weather information source. For a presentation of forecast weather conditions, the time-lapse photography video image sequence may be selected from a database of stored prerecorded sequences, with the dynamic graphical information presentation derived from forecast weather condition information.

Abstract: A system and method for generating weather reports and the like which are precisely computed automatically for a particular individual user's geographic location and which are provided automatically directly to the individual user. A user establishes an individualized user profile in which the user defines a particular location of interest, a contact address, and optionally, a personalized activity weather condition profile, establishing a preferred weather condition profile for activities of interest. A detailed and accurate weather forecasting model is run to provide high geographical and temporal resolution forecast data. The high resolution forecast data is compared to the individual user profile and a personalized weather report for the particular location, times, and conditions of interest are provided directly and automatically to the individual, e.g., via e-mail. The high resolution forecast data is preferably generated locally for a limited region, e.g.

Abstract: A system and method for preparing and manipulating a weather display including accurately displaying the current position of a weather storm cell and predicting and displaying a future path of the cell is provided. Various operator tools and functions are provided in a graphical user interface to allow an operator to prepare a weather display for broadcast, and to manipulate the display during a live weather presentation. A position and predicted track of a storm cell may be determined based on weather information from a first weather information source, e.g., NEXRAD, and displayed on a weather display. The displayed position of the storm cell and track is updated between the receipt of NEXRAD information updates to maintain an accurate display of storm cell position. Updates of the displayed storm cell position may be provided periodically between NEXRAD updates based on storm cell speed and heading information contained in the latest available NEXRAD data.