ShareWeather ROAD Pro

Variable settings and app settings

Some settings are offered in order to personalize the content. For instance, some default settings will be chosen according to your geographical area, adjusting to the metric or other measurements systems' units. All settings can be modified and are automatically saved for future use. (In case of restoring your device your settings might be removed.) Under the settings, you can easily modify which variables to display in the diagrams and set the threshold values for which you wish to generate "alerts". You can choose the exact snow amount, water on ground, or wind speed, that will generate warning signs. For instance, a setting of the snow amount of 0.8 cm (0.3 in) will generate a weather warning sign whenever the amount of 0.8 cm (0.3 in) snow is accumulated on the surface. This will help you achieve the maximum flexibility for your decision-making. Even with your own settings, for your and your customers safety, some default settings will always remain intact. They include severe weather events such as black ice, moderate ice, freezing rain, storm, snow and water on ground. Besides these exceptions, preventing you from mistakenly not receiving weather alerts prior to adverse weather events, you can easily modify all settings, including your choice of variables to be presented as meteograms (diagrams). ShareWeather ROAD Pro offers full flexibility in order for you to efficiently consume the whole weather picture within a short amount of time. That is why we prioritize the presentation of data. We believe that, with our visualizations of complex weather data, and your settings input, ShareWeather ROAD Pro is a powerful tool for both professionals and road travellers.

Altitude and terrain

One purely unique feature improving the forecast on very local level is our terrain correction functionality. Discover the exact limit between snow and sleet and be better prepared for road weather conditions in varying terrain! This is how it works: In the settings menu, simply provide an altitude above mean sea level by typing in the terrain box. Within seconds ShareWeather will return a new forecast valid for that particular altitude. This functionality is something that many road administrators have been wishing for in order to extract accurate information on the road conditions on very local level. Namely, the weather parameters are very dependent on the surrounding terrain, and in particular the elevation above sea level. This is because the pressure changes with altitude, and, accordingly, the temperature depends on the altitude. This dependency is one of the trickiest problems that road maintenance needs to solve and ShareWeather has a built-in support for forecast correction due to terrain.

Data analysis and visualizations

ShareWeather animations and meteograms do, besides offering an esthetical and colorful experience, predict the actual appearance of the sky and surrounding environment. We focus on picturing the actual consequences of weather on the ground, while instantaneously presenting large amounts of data. Our aim is to simplify complex processes and make them easily understandable, useful, and widely applicable. You do not need to analyze or understand any of the following: outputs from numerical weather prediction models, synoptic meteorology, microclimate, server calculations based on our algoritms and complex ground processes, data analysis, and the science behind all weather and ground variables. The weather picture and weather animations already contain all the information you need. Our meteorgrams will show you the weather dynamics and temporal changes with curves and specially designed "upside-down" diagrams, while the maximum and minimum values are easily accessible with our features.

A weather picture

Our animations of weather and the environment are not just a fun experience, they predict the actual appearance of the sky. The type and shape of clouds that are displayed for each timestep are carefully picked and based on a range of algorithms. The ground will also be painted based on advanced algorithms that calculate not less than 50 variables. Some of these variables are also presented in text and/or numerically. Our forecast predicts what the sky and the ground will look like 16 days ahead. You can navigate through time by swiping or using the play console (fast/24h or slow/3h forward/rewind). The fast "24h" button will take you to the time step next day 24 hours ahead, while the slow "3h" mode button takes you to the next 3 hours. The same applies for clicking backward. To see previous time steps 3 hours or 24 hours back, just click the rewind buttons. The clock in the right upper corner displays what mode is currently selected and active. You can switch between the "3h" and "24h" modes whenever you wish by either clicking on the clock, or by switching between the play console buttons. The active button on the play console is actually of some importance if you want to manipulate the way in which diagrams are displayed. From "Sky" view, or "Sky" mode, you can easily create and display diagrams (meteograms) of different shapes and time intervals. In "Sky" view, a click on any variable text (except sky variables describing the sky) will display a 24 h diagram forecast. You can also use the magnifier. If you click the magnifier, a diagram displaying 4 days or 24 hours will appear, depending on your current "hour mode" (which can be 3 hours or 24 hours). The "3h" mode will generate a 24 hour forecast based on data with 1 or 3 hour density. For instance, 3 hour data consist of 8 time steps that all together form 24 hours. In the diagram we specifically show time steps by every 6th hour. That is, you might perceve 24 hours as 4 time steps by 6 hours. The "24h" mode will also display 4 time steps at one time. In total, this gives 4 times 24 hours or 4 days.

Summary - Max and Min values

There are more shortcuts to the diagrams. One smart way to get to the point is fetching the maximum and minimum values, a summary of the coming 16 days weather and road conditions. The summary is probably the easiest way of getting the picture of what the weather conditions are going to be like in order for you to make the best decisions possible. The summary contains maximum and minimum values of: temperature or surface temperature, cloud amount. In addition, maximum values of the following variables are displayed: precipitation (rain or snow), wind speed.

Weather diagrams - meteograms

You might have seen weather diagrams, "meteorgrams", before. However, ShareWeather expands this concept, just as we reach beyond the processes in the air to cover everything you can perceive on the ground and in the sky. Doing so, we use our "upside-down" diagrams to explain what is happening on the ground. These are simply diagrams starting from zero at ground level, with the area below the ground representing the value of a particular variable. The greater area, the larger value. For instance, we use upside-down diagrams to illustrate how fast grass and plants will grow on a particular day, how much water there will be on the ground, whether there is some old accumulated snow and melting snow, or some of the water evaporated into the air. The areas you see represent the quantities of grass, water, snow, on the ground, for a given time. While weather services usually say how many much precipitation to expect for instance during one hour, ShareWeather will also show how much water or/and snow there will be many hours after the precipitation has stopped.

24 hour meteogram

The first type of diagram you get acquainted with is probably the overlay diagram. This diagram is fully visible at the same time as the "Sky" picture because it is just placed over the main "Sky" view. You can create own diagrams. Several diagram overview alternatives are available here. By picking a magnifier, a diagram displaying 4 days or 24 hours will appear. Then the user might continue to add days with the help of the magnifier. For every click the diagram will be horizontally squeezed, offering room for more days. Several options are available: 7, 10, 14, and 16 days. All 16 days can also be displayed in a larger scrollable diagram.

Meteogram - 16 days

The 16 day meteorgram includes all variables presenting them in a longer scrollable diagram where the timeline can be studied in more detail. The scrollable diagram contains all 16 days, whereas the "Sky" view presents the weather only hours at a time. It can be accessed by switching from "Sky" view to "Diagram" view. "Diagram" view is represented in the main menue by a real miniature diagram (which is modified whenever changing timesteps in "Sky" view). In addition, you will see the text "16 days" appear to the right of the miniature diagram. Also, clicking several times on the overlay diagram will automatically switch to "16 days" view. Once in "Diagram 16 days" view, the first timestep is represented ny "Now", which is the latest update of the current weather. Under the diagram is an area presenting "Air" and "Ground" previously described in "Variable presentation - Sky, Air, Ground". When clicking or scrolling the 16 day scrollable diagram the timestep displayed below will change automatically.

Share the weather

On top of all the improvements we apply to our forecasts, ShareWeather also proudly presents a new and unique concept of "share weather". ShareWeather uses your input - a local observation submitted by you - in order to improve the forecast. All you have to do is to create a weather observation, based on a simple form with cloud pictures and text descriptions describing the weather at your spot. In less than seconds, ShareWeather will recalculate the forecast based on your report and other data, improving the forecast for your location. This way of treating and processing weather makes our forecast unique. Moreover, you will be able to elaborate freely with your own input, by solely choosing new input and submitting it. Since the origin of "share weather" is related to our scientific projects, if you are interested to know more, we encourage further reading on this topic in the literature. You are also most welcome to contact us in person if you wish to get more acquainted with "share weather" and our projects.

ShareWeather ROAD in research and media

One of our contributions to the large community of professionals within road, also enjoyed by the even larger public, builds upon a refined model which combines graphical elements with volumes of (conventional) weather data. This model has grown as a result of several research projects and collaborations. It has been recognized by the public and in media, for instance a four year project studying design of weather alerts during severe weather, perception of road weather, driver behavior, impacts of collaboration and interactive services on driver behavior. All our research has been conducted in collaboration with users ranging from road maintenance professionals to private commuters. These skills and the long experience on road weather research is a great platform when developing new variables for ShareWeather ROAD.

Personalized weather forecast

ShareWeather is more than a weather forecast, it predicts the consequences of weather on the ground. When we created this app we used our knowledge based on previous work with professionals and lead-users who are extremely dependent on different weather conditions. We know that consumers also have their preferences and personal needs. With this app we wanted to give all users an opportunity to receive the highest quality weather forecasts that go farther than just presenting the weather, and predict events that actually matter to You. Many weather apps can tip their users whether to take the umbrella. ShareWeather will give a lot more. Is it dry outside yet, can I take my new shoes today after yesterday's rain? Is today a suitable time to plant some flowers in the garden, or could I as well wait for a couple of days for better conditions? Or, maybe I really have to postpone both the gardening and the car ride because of the night frost? The TV forecast said it's chilly, but I think if felt quite warm when sitting at that café yesterday. What will the weather actually feel like? Many users might get surprised to know that the weather forecast usually gives you the numbers, with little reflection on what the consequences really are on the ground. One reason is that predicting phenomena such as ice, frost, and crop growth, is far much complicated than a weather forecast. For instance, the road might get frosty although the temperature is a bit above zero Celsius. However, in the defence of all ordinary weather forecasts, they do not claim to predict more than what is happening in the air. Now, it is understandable why the complexity of weather can soon grow to a problem of understanding what the forecast actually means. We believe that pictures are a best way of communicating complex data. Eventually, the volumes of information become ungraspable if we ought to communicate the many effects of weather on the ground. In fact, it can be hard for professional meteorologists to smoothly take over after the night shift has left home. That is why ShareWeather developed a new way of communicating complex data. ShareWeather communicates through diagrams that condense many variables into a simple area or line graph. As a user, you will never have to read everything in order to understand the forecast. A look at the picture is aimed to provide you with information corresponding to more than 50 variables, most of which you do not have to care about at all. Our system processes information and improves the weather forecast on several levels and based on long experience of weather forecasting and professional users. We wanted to use that knowledge and make it accessible to everyone. The first thing we do in order to improve the forecast is processing everything through our system where advanced algorithms take the forecast quality to a next level. Then, for increasing the forecast accuracy for a particular location, ShareWeather recalculates the forecast for the local conditions. This is how it is done: ShareWeather retrieves a more accurate position and altitude above the sea level in order to improve the forecast for a particular altitude. The user can also provide own input with an altitude of choice, which is particularly useful in mountain areas.

Our mission

Our mission is to offer the best weather forecasts and present them in elegant solutions that combine science and design. We develop own algorithms based on scientific work, and we design through studying user needs and behavior. Our services are aimed to make weather information accessible and useful, increasing the value of weather information to our customers' businesses, and improving the quality of life of our users.

Smart design and forecasts based on science

ShareWeather offers customized weather services based on science and smart design to both professionals and consumers. Our weather services predict not only what's happening in the air, but provide detailed forecasts of the entire process on the ground. Have you ever wondered what the weather forecast actually means, or tried to translate the forecast into terms and conditions that matter to You? Our mission is to sort everything out by explaining the effects of weather on your life or your business. We present the weather in smart and stylish animations and diagrams, condensing all that complex information into an understandable picture you'll be able to grasp within seconds. We create special variable sets for particular user groups and businesses. All our services contain detailed information on the consequences of weather on ground, and we transform them into understandable concepts and figures to help users apply the information in the most useful way. Our mission is to improve both the weather forecast itself, and the way it is presented. Our forecasts are based on the best numerical weather prediction models, to which we also add something extraordinary. ShareWeather is based on the latest research on interactive weather services, and we conduct leading academic research within that area. Furthermore, thanks to our meteorological expertise with long experience of complex and demanding weather conditions, we improve the weather predictions on local level. ShareWeather uses own algorithms based on solid academic research and long experience of weather services. On top of all improvements available through different technologies, we also introduce the concept of "share weather". With a simple click, the user can improve the weather forecast on local level. All you have to do is submit a local weather observation. With ShareWeather you will actually be able to improve your weather!

Our design and content

On top of a user of weather services might expect, our 16 day weather forecast also contains novel design, innovative features, and some unique meteorological content. This means that we display all the conventional meteorological variables describing what is happening in the air such as temperature, feels like, wind speed and direction, pressure, air humidity. However, we also want to give our users something more than an ordinary weather service. In addition, the user will get a number of other interesting and useful data as ShareWeather predicts what is happening on the ground. This makes the effects of weather visible, easily understandable, and very useful for planning different activities. You will be able to see how fast the grass and flowers grow, and get warned of icy roads, frost, drought, water, flooding. ShareWeather presents the weather in an entirely new way, yet, of course, also applying features you already are familiar with. Our main aim is to present the weather in a most realistic way, including the type and shape of clouds, picturing the reality as we predict it. Our animations are not just a fun experience, they predict the actual appearance of the sky. You might have seen weather diagrams, "meteorgrams", before. However, ShareWeather expands the concept of meteograms, just as we reach beyond the processes in the air to cover everything you can perceive on the ground and in the sky. Doing so, we use our "upside-down diagrams" to explain what is happening on the ground. These are simply diagrams starting from zero at ground level, with the area below the ground representing the value of a particular variable. The greater area, the larger value. For instance, we use upside-down diagrams to illustrate how fast grass and flowers will grow on a particular day, how much water there will be on the ground, whether there is some old accumulated snow and melting snow, or some of the water evaporated from the ground into the air. The areas you see represent the quantities of grass, water, snow, on the ground, for a given time. While weather services usually say how many much precipitation to expect for instance during one hour, ShareWeather will also show how much water or/and snow there will be many hours after the rain has stopped. ShareWeather attributes different precipitation categories and predicts the consequences on the ground such as possible icing, or growth rate of different crops and flowers, based on the amount of water on the ground and in the soil, and the effects of solar energy combined with cloudiness. Now, it is understandable why the complexity of weather can soon grow to a problem of understanding what the forecast actually means. We believe that pictures are a best way of communicating complex data. Eventually, the volumes of information become ungraspable if we ought to communicate the many effects of weather on the ground. In fact, it can be hard for professional meteorologists to smoothly take over after the night shift has left home. That is why ShareWeather developed a new way of communicating complex data. ShareWeather communicates through diagrams that condense many variables into a simple area or line graph. As a user, you will never have to read everything in order to understand the forecast. A look at the picture is aimed to provide you with information corresponding to more than fifty variables, most of which you do not have to care about at all. All variables are already embedded in our pictures.

Behind the weather forecasts

Our system processes information and improves the weather forecast on several levels and based on long experience of weather forecasting and professional users. We wanted to use that knowledge and make high-quality forecasts accessible to everyone. The first thing we do in order to improve the forecast is processing everything through our system where advanced algorithms take the forecast quality to the next level. Then, for increasing the forecast accuracy for a particular location, ShareWeather recalculates the forecast for the local conditions. This is how it is done: ShareWeather retrieves a more accurate position and altitude above the sea level in order to improve the forecast for a particular altitude. The user can also provide own input with an altitude of choice, which is particularly useful in mountain areas. Also, ShareWeather can use your input - a local observation submitted by you. All you have to do is to create a weather observation, based on a simple form with cloud pictures and text descriptions describing the weather at your spot. In less than seconds, ShareWeather will recalculate the forecast based on your report and other data, improving the forecast for your location. This way of treating and processing weather makes us a pioneer. ShareWeather was first to introduce the concept of "share weather", sharing weather data for improving weather data and forecasts, and, to our knowledge, ShareWeather is still the only provider of weather services that applies an advanced method for integrating crowd-sourced data for improving the weather forecasts. Our novel ideas received attention in both media and scientific journals.

Services

Professional services

ShareWeather offers professional meteorological services and consultation to customers within transportation, construction, agriculture, retail, health care, and sports including boating and golf. Our forecasting system not only predicts the status of the atmosphere, but calculates the impacts on the ground in terms of complex processes. We predict crop growth, road icing, surface type, weather mood impacting consumer behavior and health, to mention some among more than the fifty variables calculated by our system. We package different variable and data sets suiting the needs of different customer groups. Our products are a result of long practical experience of providing professional weather services and consultancy to customers, expertise in user-centered design, and academic research.

Consumer services

We want meteorological quality to be reflected in all our products. Our consumer services are designed to make the weather useful and fun, with a selection of basic variables that will provide an ordinary user with all the necessary weather information.

Mobile applications

ShareWeather is based on robust research in media technology, and strong technical skills including development of mobile applications and web applications. We design our applications from the tiniest elements to all the advanced functionalities and visualizations and the core of our domain - weather.