Hurricane Tracker

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OK, let's load up our PyPortal with the hurricane tracker code. You'll need a few additional libraries, as mentioned below. You'll also need the BMP files for the map and icons. And finally, there's the code itself.

Note - the hurricane tracker version provided here is for the Atlantic Ocean only. The NOAA JSON data source also covers the Eastern and Central Pacific. We think adapting this code for those regions would make for a fun knowledge building exercise.

Libraries

In addition to all the libraries needed for the PyPortal (see PyPortal CircuitPython Setup), you'll also need these libraries:

  • adafruit_display_shapes
  • simpleio

Make sure your CIRCUITPY/lib folder contains them.

Bitmaps

This is the basemap used. Save this as map.bmp in your CIRCUITPY folder:

This is the sprite sheet bitmap used for the storm icons. Save this as storm_icons.bmp in your CIRCUITPY folder:

Code

Here's the complete code for the PyPortal Hurricane Tracker:

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# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2020 Carter Nelson for Adafruit Industries
#
# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT

import time
import math
import board
import displayio
import terminalio
from simpleio import map_range
import adafruit_imageload
from adafruit_pyportal import PyPortal
from adafruit_display_text.label import Label
from adafruit_display_shapes.line import Line

# --| User Config |---------------------------------------------------
UPDATE_RATE = 60  # minutes
MAX_STORMS = 3  # limit storms
NAME_COLOR = 0xFFFFFF  # label text color
NAME_BG_COLOR = 0x000000  # label background color
ARROW_COLOR = 0x0000FF  # movement direction arrow color
ARROW_LENGTH = 15  # movement direction arrow length
LAT_RANGE = (45, 5)  # set to match map
LON_RANGE = (-100, -40)  # set to match map
# --------------------------------------------------------------------

URL = "https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/CurrentStorms.json"
JSON_PATH = ["activeStorms"]

# setup pyportal
pyportal = PyPortal(
    status_neopixel=board.NEOPIXEL,
    default_bg="/map.bmp",
)

# setup display group for storms
icons_bmp, icons_pal = adafruit_imageload.load(
    "/storm_icons.bmp", bitmap=displayio.Bitmap, palette=displayio.Palette
)
for i, c in enumerate(icons_pal):
    if c == 0xFFFF00:
        icons_pal.make_transparent(i)
storm_icons = displayio.Group()
pyportal.splash.append(storm_icons)
STORM_CLASS = ("TD", "TS", "HU")

# setup info label
info_update = Label(
    terminalio.FONT,
    text="1984-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
    color=NAME_COLOR,
    background_color=NAME_BG_COLOR,
)
info_update.anchor_point = (0.0, 1.0)
info_update.anchored_position = (10, board.DISPLAY.height - 10)
pyportal.splash.append(info_update)

# these are need for lat/lon to screen x/y mapping
VIRTUAL_WIDTH = board.DISPLAY.width * 360 / (LON_RANGE[1] - LON_RANGE[0])
VIRTUAL_HEIGHT = board.DISPLAY.height * 360 / (LAT_RANGE[0] - LAT_RANGE[1])
Y_OFFSET = math.radians(LAT_RANGE[0])
Y_OFFSET = math.tan(math.pi / 4 + Y_OFFSET / 2)
Y_OFFSET = math.log(Y_OFFSET)
Y_OFFSET = (VIRTUAL_WIDTH * Y_OFFSET) / (2 * math.pi)
Y_OFFSET = VIRTUAL_HEIGHT / 2 - Y_OFFSET


def update_display():
    # pylint: disable=too-many-locals
    # clear out existing icons
    while len(storm_icons):
        _ = storm_icons.pop()

    # get latest storm data
    try:
        resp = pyportal.network.fetch(URL)
        storm_data = pyportal.network.process_json(resp.json(), (JSON_PATH,))[0]
    except RuntimeError:
        return
    print("Number of storms:", len(storm_data))

    # parse the storm data
    for storm in storm_data:
        # don't exceed max
        if len(storm_icons) >= MAX_STORMS:
            continue
        # get lat/lon
        lat = storm["latitudeNumeric"]
        lon = storm["longitudeNumeric"]
        # check if on map
        if (
            not LAT_RANGE[0] >= lat >= LAT_RANGE[1]
            or not LON_RANGE[0] <= lon <= LON_RANGE[1]
        ):
            continue
        # OK, let's make a group for all the graphics
        storm_gfx = displayio.Group()
        # convert to sreen coords
        x = int(map_range(lon, LON_RANGE[0], LON_RANGE[1], 0, board.DISPLAY.width - 1))
        y = math.radians(lat)
        y = math.tan(math.pi / 4 + y / 2)
        y = math.log(y)
        y = (VIRTUAL_WIDTH * y) / (2 * math.pi)
        y = VIRTUAL_HEIGHT / 2 - y
        y = int(y - Y_OFFSET)
        # icon type
        if storm["classification"] in STORM_CLASS:
            storm_type = STORM_CLASS.index(storm["classification"])
        else:
            storm_type = 0
        # create storm icon
        icon = displayio.TileGrid(
            icons_bmp,
            pixel_shader=icons_pal,
            width=1,
            height=1,
            tile_width=16,
            tile_height=16,
            default_tile=storm_type,
            x=x - 8,
            y=y - 8,
        )
        # add storm icon
        storm_gfx.append(icon)
        # add a label
        name = Label(
            terminalio.FONT,
            text=storm["name"],
            color=NAME_COLOR,
            background_color=NAME_BG_COLOR,
        )
        name.anchor_point = (0.0, 1.0)
        name.anchored_position = (x + 8, y - 8)
        storm_gfx.append(name)
        # add direction arrow
        angle = math.radians(storm["movementDir"])
        xd = x + int(ARROW_LENGTH * math.sin(angle))
        yd = y - int(ARROW_LENGTH * math.cos(angle))
        arrow = Line(x, y, xd, yd, color=ARROW_COLOR)
        storm_gfx.append(arrow)
        # add the storm graphics
        storm_icons.append(storm_gfx)
        # update time
        info_update.text = storm["lastUpdate"]
        # debug
        print(
            "{} @ {},{}".format(
                storm["name"], storm["latitudeNumeric"], storm["longitudeNumeric"]
            )
        )

    # no storms? at least say something
    if not len(storm_icons):
        print("No storms in map area.")
        storm_icons.append(
            Label(
                terminalio.FONT,
                scale=4,
                x=50,
                y=110,
                text="NO STORMS\n IN AREA",
                color=NAME_COLOR,
                background_color=NAME_BG_COLOR,
            )
        )


# --------------------------------------------------------------------
# M A I N
# --------------------------------------------------------------------
update_display()
last_update = time.monotonic()
while True:
    now = time.monotonic()
    if now - last_update > UPDATE_RATE * 60:
        print("Updating...")
        update_display()
        last_update = now
View on GitHub
 Current Storm Information How It Works 

This guide was first published on Aug 14, 2020. It was last updated on Aug 14, 2020.

This page (Hurricane Tracker) was last updated on Mar 18, 2023.

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