Connecting Google Earth and Maps to NDFD Web Services

Google Earth: Import NDFD WFS Data into Google Earth
Google Earth: Import NDFD Data from a File into Google Earth
Google Maps: Import NDFD Data from a KML file stored on the web

Connect Google Earth to the NDFD WFS

Google Earth can be used to access the NDFD Web Feature Service (WFS).  This document describes how to access and display NDFD data retrieived via the NDFD WFS.

Start Google Earth, click on the "Add" menu, and select the "Network Link" menu option.  See the image below.





After you select the "Network Link" entry, the "Google Earth - New" window appears. Enter a name for the link in the "Name" text box and the link http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/xml/OGC_services/ndfdOWSserver.php?SERVICE=WFS&Request=GetFeature&VERSION=1.1.0&TYPENAME=Ndfd_KmlPoint in the "Link" text box. Next click the "OK" button.  See the image below.





After a period of time, Google Earth will display the push pins defining the location of the NDFD data points. Clicking an individual push pin will reveal additional push pins which when selected show the NDFD value for that element in a google balloon.  See the image below.

Using NDFD Data Wrapped in KML

Google Earth allows users to import from files containing data encoded in Keyhole Markup Language (KML). Users can open a NDFD KML file by selecting the Google "File" menu and then the "Open" option.  See the image below.



Since the NDFD WFS and SOAP service return NDFD data encoded in KML, users can save the results of a getFeature (WFS) or SOAP request to a file and then import the data into Google Earth. Several sample getFeature requests are provided below:

Request returns selected cities from across the United States
http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/xml/OGC_services/ndfdOWSserver.php?SERVICE=WFS&Request=GetFeature&VERSION=1.1.0&TYPENAME=Ndfd_KmlPoint

Bounding Box example returns data for a small subgrid
http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/xml/OGC_services/ndfdOWSserver.php?SERVICE=WFS&Request=GetFeature&VERSION=1.1.0&bbox=-82.00,35.00,-81.5,35.5&TYPENAME=Ndfd_KmlPoint

User input returns a single feature for a single point, single NDFD element, and single time Note: User will have to have to update the time to a valid time found in the NDFD.


http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/xml/OGC_services/ndfdOWSserver.php?SERVICE=WFS&Request=GetFeature&VERSION=1.1.0&latLonList=38.99,-77.99&time=2007-05-23T23:00:00&elements=maxt&TYPENAME=Ndfd_KmlPoint

Other subsets of NDFD data can be obtained from the following web page:

http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/xml/OGC_services/ndfdOGC_services.htm

Using NDFD Data Wrapped in KML and Posted to the Worldwide Web

Google Maps allows users to import KML from a URL. Users can open a NDFD KML file by pasting the KML file's URL into the "Search the map" text box.  See the image below.



Once the URL is entered in the text box, click on the "Search Maps" button. After a few moments, the KML file's contents will be displayed.  See the image below.



Users can experiment with a sample file containing a wind speed forecast for selected cities from across the United States.
http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/xml/docs/sample_NDFD_KML.kml

Other subsets of NDFD data can be obtained from the following web page:

http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/xml/OGC_services/ndfdOGC_services.htm