Choosing a Subject:
For this project, we needed to choose data which has a geographic element to it to be used with the mapping software QGIS. In my first visualization project this semester, I chose the subject of weather because it reflects a future career prospect I am heavily considering. With this project being focused around mapping, I felt it was a perfect opportunity to look into the mapping of weather events once again.
Method:
At the start of this assignment, my plan was to try to make the weather forecast maps everyone knows from watching televised weather forecasts. I was able to get close to this end goal by sourcing a shapefile of the states and provinces from around the world from naturalearthdata.com, as well as a shape file that highlights major population centers around the world also from naturalearthdata.com, and finally a kml file from NOAA containing total rainfall measurements in inches.
Arranging the shape files was straightforward, I simply needed to place the map itself below the populated areas map so the dots could appear above the map. The kml data was tricky to incorporate because it blocked out the other layers entirely if it was too opaque and it was impossible to read if it was too transparent. Experimenting with layer settings, I found the option “Hard Light” in the blending mode settings. This option allowed the kml data to cover the map in a way that still allowed me to see the state borders as well as the points for the populated areas data. In the end, the forecast data was placed between the map and the points with 67.9% opacity and the hard light settings on.
Sources/Datasets:
My main sources for this work were Natural Earth and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. From Natural Earth I obtained two shape files, one for a map of the US with borders for states, and one with dots marking large population centers across the world. From NOAA I downloaded a kml containing rainfall measurements in inches over a 5 day period.
The tool I used to create this map is QGIS.
Project Reflections and Critique:
My original goal for this project was to have a timelapse map. It proved too difficult for me to figure out the animation feature and implement it in this project, though the kml file I used to make the static map does technically contain data for a range of five days. Animation aside, I would have liked to get a handle on labels for at least the marked areas of the populated areas shape file.
I once again shared my product with my brother without explaining what data I used or what the map was for. He was able to recognize it generally as a forecast map. He guessed correctly that the colors over the map were representative of precipitation, but without labels, guessed that the blues and purples represented rainfall measurements in inches.
Sources:
- “Natural Earth ” 1:110m Cultural Vectors – Free Vector and Raster Map Data at 1:10m, 1:50m, and 1:110m Scales.” Natural Earth, www.naturalearthdata.com/downloads/110m-cultural-vectors/. Accessed 21 Nov. 2023.
- Service, NOAA’s National Weather. “WPC Products in KML Format.” Weather Prediction Center (WPC) Home Page, 8 May 2009, www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/kml/kmlproducts.php.