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Natural Hazards Support System (NHSS)

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The Natural Hazards Support System (NHSS) provides information on various natural hazards events that are occurring both in the United States and around the world. This is done by incorporating dynamic near-real-time data from a wide variety of sources into a web-enabled map that then provides decision makers and the public with a tool to simultaneously track and analyze numerous natural hazards events.

Not only does the NHSS perform geospatial integration for various dynamic data sources, it also provides access to more detailed feature information with a direct link to the original data source. For example, as a hurricane nears the shoreline, NHSS users can pinpoint the current location of the hurricane, and then access near real-time information about associated stream levels, wind speeds, and tide conditions. This NHSS integration of information can also be used to analyze the potential impacts caused by different types of natural hazards events occurring in the same area. For instance, the location of any current wildfires can be seen in association with the location of a specific earthquake. The NHSS was developed and is hosted at the Rocky Mountain Geographic Science Center (RMGSC) located in Denver, CO.



Frequently Asked Questions

What web browsers does the NHSS support?
A: Although every effort is made to ensure support for all of the most commonly used browsers, we recommend the use of either Internet Explorer (Version 7 and up) or Firefox.

What causes white blocks to appear in the base map?
A: Since the base map information is coming from a remote host containing cached data, sometimes pieces will not be loaded correctly. If this occurs simply reload the page.

Why are some of the layers in the Other Information section greyed out?
A: Layers that are greyed out are not available for use at the current map scale. These additional layers will become available for use as you zoom in.

What causes the Other Information not to appear sometimes as part of the data layer list in the Current Hazards map?
A: We are still investigating the specific cause and resolution for this issue. However, if for some reason when you first open the Current Hazards page the title Other Information is not shown, you should be able to correct the problem by performing a simple page reload.

Where does the data come from?
A: Specific source information for each of the data layers can be found on the Data Resources page.

Are NHSS map services available for use?
A: Yes. Information for each of the available NHSS map services, including complete service names, can be found on the Data Resources page.

What do the symbols on the map mean?
A: Each map symbol represents a specific feature from one of the currently visible data layers. To see what each symbol means, mouse over the appropriate Map Legend button at the bottom of the map. Additional information about Map Legend buttons, and instructions for altering visible layers are provided in the map Help.

What do the colored areas on the map mean?
A: The colored areas represent active weather watches and/or warnings. These are issued by NOAA's NWS and are usually associated with counties. Mouse over the Weather Map Legend button to see what type of watch or warning each color represents.

Why is there more information in NOAA's National Weather Service map than in NHSS?
A: NOAA's National Weather Service map includes Forecast and Statement information that is not included in NHSS. NHSS only contains active Alerts, Advisories, Watches, and Warnings.

How do I get information for a specific map feature?
A: Simply click on a map feature to access feature information, more specific instructions for this function is in the map Help.

Can I change what data is displayed?
A: Yes. Any of the data layers listed to the right of the map are available for use. Layers that are currently visible have a check in the check box associated with the layer name, and layers can be turned on or off by simply clicking on the associated check box.

How do I change the location and/or scale of the data I am viewing?
A: You can change the current map location and/or scale by using the mouse navigational tools described in the map Help, or by using the zoom slider. More specific information for each of these tools is provided in the map Help.

Why are there no features on the map for a particular data layer?
A: First of all make sure that the layer in question is currently visible (i.e. has a check in the check box). If the layer is currently visible, but no features are visible on the map, this simply means that no features exist in the current map extent.




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Page Last Modified: Wednesday, 09-Jan-2013 13:56:47 Mountain Standard Time