The "Earth" interactive simulation by Cameron Beccario
The "Earth" interactive simulation by Cameron Beccario shows dimensions of wind and waves. Cameron Beccario
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Hurricane Matthew, as seen in a precipitation visualizer by Ventusky.
Hurricane Matthew, as seen in a precipitation visualizer by Ventusky. Ventusky

Hurricane Matthew is no joke. With winds clocking in around 140 mph, it’s knocked out power in multiple Florida counties as it buzzes up the coast. It’s expected to bring between six inches and a foot of rain from areas across the coasts of central Florida to southern North Carolina.

If you’re in a part of the country where you still have power, and you’re weary of reading blowhards lying on the internet about the storm’s power, you can get lost in the trippy colors and animations of open-source map data.

Ventusky, a web application that shows real time images of weather conditions anywhere in the world, created an interactive map (pictured above and below) for tracking wind speed, temperature, precipitation, and more around the world. They use global models including ICON, developed by the German National Meteorological Service institution (DWD), GFS, which was developed by the American National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and GEM, developed by the Canadian Meteorological Centre (CMC), to collect its data and form the maps.

Wind speed, as visualized by Ventusky.
Wind speed, as visualized by Ventusky. Ventusky
Air temperature, as visualized by Ventusky.
Air temperature, as visualized by Ventusky. The eye of the hurricane is around 80 degrees, and the surrounding area hovers in the 70s. Ventusky

Cameron Beccario created “Earth” from Global Forecast System models as well, and combined data from Earth & Space Research’s OSCAR, NOAA’s WAVEWATCH III, and Goddard Earth Observing System.

Both visualizers are for research purposes only, or for staring into when you’re burned out on the Weather Channel.

The
The “Earth” interactive simulation by Cameron Beccario shows dimensions of wind and waves. Cameron Beccario

NASA has its own 3D view of Hurricane Matthew, that looks inside the storm, layer-by-layer.

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