Upload vector layers to Windy.com in order to check the weather for your trip
It’s been about half a year since Windy.com launched an option to upload .kml, .gpx and .geojson files into the weather map. It happened thanks to the Leaflet-kml plugin, available here.
Apart from the Leaflet Javascript API map software, where we can use this plugin for loading our own .kml files, we can add them straight to the Windy.com service.
I would like to describe shortly how to do it:
1. First of all, you must register or login into the Windy.com platform
2. Upload files from your device (Pic. 1). You will see the list of the newest uploaded vector layer files from the other members of the Windy.com community.
Pic. 1 Windy.com uploader panel with the last files from the community.
3. Straight after uploading, you should see your file at the top of the list (Pic. 2).
Pic. 2 The .kml file was uploaded to the Windy.com platform.
4. Where you have other options available (Pic. 3): copying the uploaded file link, removing the file, opening the link in the Windy.com community
Pic. 3 Uploaded file in Windy.com with options available: 1 – Share (copy link to the clipboard); 2 – Save the file on your device; 3 – See your file uploaded in the Windy.com community; 4 – Remove your file.
In these 4 steps, your file has been uploaded to Windy.com and published in the community at once. The .kml, .gpx, and .geojson files represent the vector layers, so they’re interactive. After zooming, you will see many more details the same as in i.e. Google Earth (Pic. 4).
Pic. 4 An example of a .kml file uploaded to Windy.com – Total solar eclipse 2020 path across the Andes (Xjubier.free.fr).
The major advantage of this exercise is, that unlike Google Earth, where you can see the terrain only (what you can also see in Windy.com, making maximum zoom, because the portal uses the Mapy.cz topographic (outdoor) tiles), here you can get the weather forecast. Having your file uploaded, which contains some interesting places/spots or celestial events checking and comparing the weather will be simply issued. It was roughly described in this article previously, although some changes happened since that time, so possibly some updates may be necessary.
Now you can enter this file in two ways:
– via the link, copied into the clipboard like below:
https://www.windy.com/upload/5dd3f6bfbb55490019025345?-53.975,-56.213,3
– via the Windy.com community (Pic. 4), where you also can get info about your file from the permalink.
Pic. 4 My .kml file in Windy.com community. Take a look at the permalink and number of your file.
The number of my file – 1662 means, that this is the 1662nd file since the project has been launched. To see the file in an interactive version on Windy.com, you must click on the blue link just above the picture on the left. The tool will assign the coordinates permalink instantly, so next to your upload link, you will get the latitude and longitude of your uploaded file.
That’s it. My two files have been uploaded to the Windy.com
They have been downloaded from Xavier Jubier’s eclipse page in .kmz format, next extracted into .kml. They refer to the forthcoming total solar eclipses in 2020 and 2024 and are available in the links below:
Total solar eclipse 2020 Chile & Argentina
Greatest American Eclipse 2024 (8.04.2024)
These examples are some of the best, as we can populate with the weather forecast background. You can upload your own examples, like journey routes, interesting spots, etc. Next, check the live weather forecast, but not earlier, than one week before. I will back to longer weather predictions in the future.
Mariusz Krukar
Links:
- https://www.windy.com/plugins
- https://www.windy.com/uploader
- https://community.windy.com/topic/8514/your-map-uploads
- Xavier Jubier’s solar eclipse .kmz files repository
Forums:
- https://community.windy.com/topic/5358/import-a-kml-kmz-file/6
- https://community.windy.com/topic/8532/upload-display-and-share-your-kml-gpx-or-geojson-on-windy
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