Thanks to the support provided by the users of the site, the functionalities are developing. Brief update on these developments and the implementation schedule.
Before starting, I remind you that I no longer frequent Facebook and that the posts are most of the time automatic from the site. I am however active on the Twitter account https://twitter.com/meteo_tropicale and all information on current systems and site developments are published there.
Automatic posting of changes in weather systems on social networks
This first feature has been being tested for a few days on Twitter. Whenever a system changes, a message is posted indicating this change (risk of reinforcement, trajectory, intensity, etc.). For systems directly threatening the West Indies, a message is posted even if there is no change. For others, a message is only posted when there is a change. Changes in Watching status for the French islands are also posted with a link to the Météo France Watching page.
For the moment the test is going well but we will have to wait (hopefully as late as possible) that there is a little more activity on the Atlantic to validate the Twitter test and also launch the Facebook version. For FB, messages will be posted on the Météo Tropicale group and on my personal account.
Since the Facebook API does not allow closing comments for a post, I will need one or more moderators who are often on Facebook to do this during each post in order to avoid spam and comments. slippage in the comments. Preferably people with whom I have already interacted on various platforms and present in the group for at least a year. If you are interested, you can send me a private message on Twitter.
Automatic analysis of environmental conditions
This new script analyzes in real time the conditions for cyclonic development / reinforcement, both over the major development area (MDR) and on the systems monitored in the Atlantic basin. It takes into account the 3 main parameters: water temperature, shear and sand / air dry.
For the Atlantic, 3 zones are studied: the east of the MDR, the central zone between Africa and the West Indies and the approach to the West Indies. For these 3 areas, a text summary is provided for each parameter and each area with an overall level of conditions on each area.
For the monitored systems, 3 areas are also studied: the immediate environment of the system, on its trajectory at 48 hours and at 5 days. Also, a summary in text form is published.
Tests are underway for this feature. For the Atlantic analysis part, they are conclusive and the analyzes should appear on the home page of the site from next week. For the one concerning the current systems, there again there is not enough activity to validate them.
Whatsapp groups and answering machine
This is a new service in its own right which will make Météo Tropicale a multi-media platform.
The principle is the implementation of a bot (robot) which will manage WhatsApp groups dedicated to specific subjects or which will answer specific questions from the numerous data in the base of the site.
1 / For groups, they will concern either a particular territory or a weather system monitored by the NHC.
To join a group, simply send the word “group” to Météo Tropicale's Whatsapp (the number will be available at the end of the tests and it will have to be saved in your contacts, it will not be reachable by phone or SMS) and the list of active groups will be sent in response. Sending the name of one of the active groups received will automatically register you on it.
- For the territories, a message will be automatically posted on the group when a system threatens this territory, when it changes state or when there is a change in the state of Watching for this territory (if it is a French island). Initially 3 groups will be active (one for Martinique, one for Guadeloupe and one for the northern islands). Then, and depending on how these 3 work, I will assess the possibility of creating them for other territories. These groups will receive between 0 and 10 messages per day depending on the situation. They will be permanent and active outside of the hurricane season.
- For tracked systems, a message will be posted on the system group at each change of state (on average every 6 hours) and when important information requires it. Again the maximum message will be 10 per day. These groups will be ephemeral and deleted after the system dissipates.
- It will be manageable by members like any other Whatsapp group. You can mute them or leave them whenever you want.
- It will not be allowed to post to these groups. The principle being that they are there to inform on the facts and not to speculate and that too much activity creates a nuisance for the members with the notifications. Member posts will be automatically deleted in real time and if a member tries to post too often they may be banned.
