Parke County Weather — User Guide
Parke County Weather is a real-time local weather dashboard focused on Parke County, Indiana. It combines multiple data sources into a single, fast-scanning interface.
The design answers two questions quickly: What is happening now? and How serious is it?
Core Design Principles
- Single severity scale: All hazards use the same color system.
- Fast scanning: Pillboxes provide quick summaries.
- Detail on demand: Cards expand or link to full data.
- Consistency: Same colors, structure, and behavior across all products.
- Low noise: No-hazard states remain gray.
Layout System
Pillboxes
Used for summary hazards. Designed for fast scanning.
Cards
Used for lists where detail matters (alerts, storm reports, earthquakes).
- Color + dot: Indicates severity level.
- Text: Provides context and detail.
- Countdowns: Used for time-sensitive products (mesoscale discussions).
Hazard Severity Scale
Used across all hazards (SPC, WPC, Fire, Drought, Space Weather, Outages).
| Level | Color | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| NONE | No active hazard (gray) | |
| MARGINAL | Lowest active concern | |
| SLIGHT | Low but notable concern | |
| ENHANCED | Organized or increasing concern | |
| MODERATE | Higher-end concern | |
| HIGH | Top-end risk level |
Space Weather (Kp Index)
The Kp index is a 0–9 scale measuring geomagnetic activity. Values of 5 and higher correspond to NOAA geomagnetic storm levels (G1–G5).
| Kp Value | SPC Equivalent | Color | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 – 4 | None | Quiet to active conditions below geomagnetic storm levels | |
| 5 | Marginal | G1 Minor storm — weak power fluctuations possible, aurora expands northward | |
| 6 | Slight | G2 Moderate storm — minor grid impacts possible, aurora may reach northern Midwest | |
| 7 | Enhanced | G3 Strong storm — power and satellite impacts possible, aurora may reach Indiana | |
| 8 | Moderate | G4 Severe storm — significant impacts possible, widespread aurora visibility | |
| 9 | High | G5 Extreme storm — major impacts possible including grid disruptions |
Aurora Visibility Guide (Indiana):
Kp 5: Maybe a faint glow very low on the northern horizon in very dark, rural skies—hit-or-miss.
Kp 6: Reasonable chance of visible aurora low on the northern horizon, especially on the darkest nights.
Kp 7+: Good chance of clear, structured aurora (arcs, rays) and sometimes overhead.
Kp 5: Maybe a faint glow very low on the northern horizon in very dark, rural skies—hit-or-miss.
Kp 6: Reasonable chance of visible aurora low on the northern horizon, especially on the darkest nights.
Kp 7+: Good chance of clear, structured aurora (arcs, rays) and sometimes overhead.
Hazard Summary Section
Parke County Hazards
SPC severe risk, local mesoscale discussions, WPC rainfall, fire weather,
drought conditions, space weather, and power outages.
- Multiple sources are normalized into one consistent scale.
Hazard Examples
SPC Moderate Risk
More widespread or intense severe weather potential.
Fire Weather
Highest fire weather risk level.
Drought
Uses the same color scale as other hazards.
Space Weather
Colored when geomagnetic storm conditions are present.
Power Outages
Moderate number of customers without power.
Alert System
Tornado Warning
Alerts use the same color system as hazard pills but remain rectangular for readability.
NEW ALERT badge: Displays for 5 minutes when a new alert appears.
Specialized Data Displays
Local Storm Reports
TOR
Rockville, Parke County
04/05 06:42 PM ET
Possible tornado touchdown reported near town with spotter remarks shown beneath.
Possible tornado touchdown reported near town with spotter remarks shown beneath.
WIND
Montezuma, Parke County
04/05 06:18 PM ET
58 mph wind gust — damage or measured wind remarks appear on the final line.
58 mph wind gust — damage or measured wind remarks appear on the final line.
HAIL
Rosedale, Parke County
04/05 05:57 PM ET
1.00" hail — hail size is shown first, followed by any report remarks.
1.00" hail — hail size is shown first, followed by any report remarks.
Storm reports use cards because they are event-based entries. Red = tornado, blue = wind, green = hail.
Regional Mesoscale Discussion
MD 0345 — Indiana Focused
Red (IND WFO present)
Areas: Central Indiana into western Ohio
Watch Prob: 60%
Used when the discussion includes the Indianapolis (IND) Weather Forecast Office.
Watch Prob: 60%
Used when the discussion includes the Indianapolis (IND) Weather Forecast Office.
MD 0280 — Winter Weather
Blue (Winter-type discussion)
Areas: Illinois into Indiana
Used when the discussion mentions snow, ice, sleet, or other winter weather hazards.
Used when the discussion mentions snow, ice, sleet, or other winter weather hazards.
MD 0312 — General Severe Weather
Yellow (All other discussions)
Areas: Missouri into Illinois
Watch Prob: 40%
Default color for non-Indiana, non-winter mesoscale discussions.
Watch Prob: 40%
Default color for non-Indiana, non-winter mesoscale discussions.
Color-coded by type: Red = Indiana focus, Blue = winter, Yellow = general severe.
Regional Earthquakes
M1.8 – Small regional earthquake
Green example. Used for magnitudes below 2.5.
M3.1 – Regional Earthquake Example
Yellow example. Used for magnitudes from 2.5 to 3.9.
M4.2 – Stronger regional earthquake
Red example. Used for magnitudes 4.0 and higher.
Three-level system based on magnitude.
System Operation
| Section | Update Rate | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Alerts | 10 seconds | Rapid alert detection |
| Outages | 30 seconds | Track power disruptions |
| Mesoscale Discussions | 60 seconds | Track short-term severe weather trends |
| Space Weather | 60 seconds | Geomagnetic activity (Kp index) |
| Hazard Products | 5 minutes | SPC, WPC, Fire, Drought |
| Storm Reports / EQ | 5 minutes | Recent events |
Audible Alerts
| Sound File | When It Plays | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| When a new Parke County alert appears | General local alert notification. | |
| When a new Parke County Tornado Warning includes strong confirmation wording | Higher-urgency tornado notification for confirmed or especially dangerous wording. | |
| When a new local mesoscale discussion affects Parke County | Separate notification for local mesoscale discussions. | |
| When a new regional mesoscale discussion appears | Broader regional mesoscale notification. | |
| When the Kp index reaches 7 or higher | Alerts for strong geomagnetic storms (G3+) with potential aurora visibility in Indiana. |
Audible alerts only play when sound is enabled. On some devices or browsers, the audible alerts button may need to be pressed once before audio can play.
Data Sources
- NWS alerts
- SPC outlooks and mesoscale discussions
- WPC rainfall outlook
- SPC fire weather outlook
- NOAA SWPC space weather (Kp index)
- US Drought Monitor (manually assigned)
- Utility outage feeds
- SPC storm reports
- USGS earthquakes
When multiple levels are present, the highest level within Parke County is displayed.