Android Skew-t app

On Friday, March 28, 2014 11:44:52 PM UTC-6, wrote:
Alan,

Thanks a lot. It works like charm for where I am. I especially like the moving graphics.

Is there a way we can get some forecasting, like one or two days? Right now I can only get the current day.


I have different data sources mostly working, it just needs a bit more testing.

After that I want to add
* Named favourites (or something similar)
* Underlaying secondary model
* Extended range forecasting

Alan

I have just uploaded a version that allows selection of different data source weather models.

I have checked as much as I understand, but I'm a but out of my depth and would appreciate help to make it as useful as possible.

On Monday, March 31, 2014 9:09:10 PM UTC-6, kiwiindenver wrote:
I have just uploaded a version that allows selection of different data source weather models.



I have checked as much as I understand, but I'm a but out of my depth and would appreciate help to make it as useful as possible.


Use of different weather models appears to be stable now. Google statistics show I have 64 installs in USA and 55 for the rest of the world. Thanks to everybody. I have just uploaded a new version for you to continue to enjoy.

The new version has a number of small changes as a result of feedback sent to me. The most significant change is the addition of a favourites list. This will allow you to quickly switch between different locations and/or different weather models.

Alan

On Thursday, April 10, 2014 3:05:24 PM UTC-4, kiwiindenver wrote:

I have just uploaded a version

Hey Alan. I just wanted to say thanks and that this app came along at just the right time for me. I'd worked through the theory of skew-t before, but I've been too lazy to look at the current skew-T on the web very often. So not enough practice time.

I have your Skew-T app running on an otherwise only occasionally useful Nexus-7 that is sitting on my window sill. I've been making it a habit to pick it up several times through the day, and look at the sky and the skew-T and think about what is happening and why. On some days that prompts me to look for other weather data on the web and try to bring things into focus. I'm hoping to get to the point that I can look at the sky and visualize the Skew-t and have a sense of a 'typical day' at a particular time of year progresses.

One problem that I have is that the surface temp indicator seems to sometimes track the forecast with the time slider, and sometimes it stays fixed/manual. It seems that tapping, sometimes toggles the mode, but not always. Is there a bug or is my tap and touchscreen funky?

Thanks again.

On Thursday, April 10, 2014 1:38:04 PM UTC-6, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Thursday, April 10, 2014 3:05:24 PM UTC-4, kiwiindenver wrote:



I have just uploaded a version



Hey Alan. I just wanted to say thanks and that this app came along at just the right time for me. I'd worked through the theory of skew-t before, but I've been too lazy to look at the current skew-T on the web very often. So not enough practice time.



I have your Skew-T app running on an otherwise only occasionally useful Nexus-7 that is sitting on my window sill. I've been making it a habit to pick it up several times through the day, and look at the sky and the skew-T and think about what is happening and why. On some days that prompts me to look for other weather data on the web and try to bring things into focus.. I'm hoping to get to the point that I can look at the sky and visualize the Skew-t and have a sense of a 'typical day' at a particular time of year progresses.



One problem that I have is that the surface temp indicator seems to sometimes track the forecast with the time slider, and sometimes it stays fixed/manual. It seems that tapping, sometimes toggles the mode, but not always. Is there a bug or is my tap and touchscreen funky?



Thanks again.

Glad its working for you. It sounds like I'm at a similar stage of my flying career, I wrote this App to learn more about the science, math and data behind Skew-t.

I'm not confident I understand your description, can you send me a screen snap (or two) and a description so I can fix any bug that might be present. My email is in the new "Quick start guide" info.

Alan

For your enjoyment,

The newest version (uploaded 5 mins ago), can now show future data, not just today's data. Obviously this is only if the weather model supplies the needed data.

Also I have added a "Here" mode that uses your devices GPS to seed the lat/long.

Next I want to add support for waypoint files.

Any other requests or feedback welcomed.

Alan

Alan, you must be having fun with this!
Thanks,
Jim

On Thursday, April 17, 2014 3:48:35 PM UTC-6, JS wrote:
Alan, you must be having fun with this!

Thanks,

Jim

Yip!!!

I've talked to a number of people from all over the world and everybody has helped to make this a better app for soaring. I have also learnt LOTS AND LOTS about Skew-t graphs and data.

Unfortunately I think my ride is coming to an end as it already does most things people have asked for.

Enjoy
Alan

On Thursday, March 27, 2014 at 11:25:32 AM UTC-5, kiwiindenver wrote:
Hi All,

As a recently licensed pilot I decided it would be a good idea to learn more about soaring weather prediction, specifically the workings of a Skew-t graph.

I combined that with learning more about developing Apps for Android, so yesterday I published by first Android App.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...=com.ajw.skewt

I hope many of you find this useful.

I welcome your suggestions for improvements. As I said, this is new to me.

Enjoy.

Alan

Alan, I just came across this app and am trying to learn how to use it. I get the temp and dewpoint lines. But what does the green line intersecting a gray line with the dark marker at the intersection mean? And what does moving the spot marker off of the temp line accomplish? It defines a grayed area in sort of a triangle but I haven't figured out what it's telling me..

Ray
Commercial/instrument single-engine land

On Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at 1:51:47 PM UTC-7, wrote:
But what does the green line intersecting a gray line with the dark marker at the intersection mean?

The green line is of great interest to glider pilots because it represents a bubble of air warmed by the sun hitting the ground. Once the bubble breaks away from the surface it starts to cool. The green line represents the temperature of the air as it rises. As long as the green line in to the right of the red line, the bubble will continue to rise. The red line of course represents the temperature of the ambient air as you go up in altitude. Where the green line crosses the red line the bubble is the same temperature as the ambient air at that altitude. So buoyancy is neutral. But the rising bubble has mass, so it has momentum and that carries it above the altitude of the crossing point.

So the rising bubble of air is followed by another rising bubble of air and that creates what we call a thermal or an updraft. If you're a glider pilot you can climb until the bubble stops rising. If you're a power pilot you will experience turbulence below the altitude where the bubble stops rising.

Now this bubble started out at surface air with a specific dewpoint when it was at the surface. This dewpoint is where the blue line intersects the ground. The dark grey line shows the dewpoint of the bubble as it rises. Where it intersects the green line, the temperature of the bubble at that altitude equals it's dewpoint. A cloud forms. The little horizontal dash marks the cloudbase. There is a corresponding dash on the altitude scale to the right, so that you can read an altitude number off the scale.


And what does moving the spot marker off of the temp line accomplish? It defines a grayed area in sort of a triangle but I haven't figured out what it's telling me.

The only grey area that I see is on the wind speed vs. altitude graph to the right of the skew-t. Dragging the cloudbash hashmark just pans the skew-t I think.