We found that Hurrtrak users, desired a way to be alerted to local severe weather threats and new and changing conditions in the tropics. The "tray alert messaging" (TAM) system notifies individuals (or groups) of several noteworthy conditions including the following:

- Tornado Warnings
- Severe Thunderstorm warnings
- Special Weather Statements
- Tornado and Severe Thunderstorm Watches
- The formation of new storms
- Storm strengthening or weakening
- The issuance of general watches or warnings
- Updated storm data
- New tropical weather outlooks
- When your base location is issued a tropical storm or hurricane watch or warning.

Alerts can be displayed via Windows Pop-up notification and also distributed via e-mail alerts.

This tray program initializes when Windows is started and depends on the Hurrtrak Online Timer program also being activated in the System Tray.

The options for this tray program (right click on the “!” bubble icon in tray) are: 

Redisplay last message. If you miss a message it will redisplay the last message displayed by the system. 

Display prior/recent messages – This option displays, in a concise manner, all of the messages displayed since the last restart of your system along with the date/time they were displayed. Other capabilities are also available from this option. See below.

Hurricane message options – This option presents the user with a screen that allows them to change which conditions they should be alerted to and how to handle those conditions.  See below for more information on how to set this up.

NWS Watch/Warning Event Options – This option allows the user to setup how they would like to be alerted to Severe Weather Watches and Warnings. See more below.

Local Storm Reports / Weather message options – This option allows the user to setup how they would like to be alerted to "nearby" storm reports and/or weather reports from nearby weather stations. See below for more information on how to set this up.

Help- Displays Help

Exit – This option closes the program. No more messages will be displayed.

Hurricane message options:

Selections on this window include:

Tray Alert Active – This option will activate or de-activate the Tray Alert Function.

System Tray Notification - This option will allow the alerts to be displayed as a windows pop-up item (see top of this page).

E-mail - This option will allow the alerts to be send via e-mail to the address or e-mail address group entered to the right.

Group Alerts into a single e-mail - This option will send only one e-mail to the recipient(s) for each alert activated at that time.

Tropical Basins to monitor – For Global or Advanced users this option allows the user to see messages only for tropical areas they are interested in.

Further Information with mouse click on message – This option allows a “helper” program to open when the message is clicked upon via the mouse. For example, if a new tropical weather outlook message is displayed, the Tropical Weather Outlook will display when the message is clicked.

Redisplay missed messages – This option will redisplay the message every 5 minutes unless it has been “clicked” on. This assures you will not miss any messages since the Windows operating system will often hide tray messages when there is other activity on the PC system.

Alert Selection – In this section you specify which alert you would like to see displayed. Uncheck any you do not want to see. When there is an active reconnaissance flight, the New RECON Data option will result in many tray messages.

NWS Watch/Warning Event Options:

Selections on this window include:

NWS Watch/Warning Active – This option will activate or de-activate the NWS Tornado Watch and Warning notifications.

Base (name) - This option includes your Base Location to be one of the locations used in the alert process. You can change the base location via that option.

Location Group - This option will include all of the locations in the location group identified on the right in the alert process.

System Tray Notification - This option will allow the alerts to be displayed as a windows pop-up item (see top of this page).

E-mail - This option will allow the alerts to be send via e-mail to the address or e-mail address group entered to the right.

Also send to location's e-mail address - This option not only send the alert to e-mail identified above but also send an e-mail to the address associated with any location in the location group that has an alert activated. i.e. If you have Atlanta as a location in the location group and a tornado warning is issued for Atlanta... then an alert e-mail will be sent out to george@pcwp.com (in sample image above) and the e-mail associated for Atlanta.  Location E-mail addresses can be defined via system/general options location maintenance.

Group Alerts into a single e-mail - This option will send only one e-mail to the recipient(s) for each alert activated at that time. Highly recommended.

Include entire statement text in email - This option will not only include the alert condition met... but also send the entire NWS statement with the email.

Select the Watches and Warnings you would like to be notified of when they affect your location(s).: This section allows the user to identify which watches and warnings they would like to be alert for.

Select the Warning Type and distance for the event... to be notified of: These options allow you to be notified of nearby watches and warnings that may not be in effect for your location(s). i.e. You would like to know if a tornado warning has been issued anywhere within 50 miles, etc..

Local Storm Reports / Weather Message Options:

Local Storm Reports are weather events reported by various sources.. both official and general public. "Observed Weather" is weather as reported by OFFICIAL Weather Stations. i.e. ATL, MIA, etc..

There are two modes for these types of Alerts... Simple or Advanced. We will look at each one independently.

SIMPLE Mode: Simple mode is designed when you are interested in alerts for only 1 location. It is less complex than the advanced mode. We suggest you start with the simple setup until you are familiar with this function.

Selections on this window include:

LSR/WX Alerts Active – This option will activate or de-activate these alerts.

Base (name) - This option shows the Base Location to be used in the alert process. You can change the base location via that option.

System Tray Notification - This option will allow the alerts to be displayed as a windows pop-up item (see top of this page).

E-mail - This option will allow the alerts to be send via e-mail to the address or e-mail address group entered to the right.

Group Alerts into a single e-mail - This option will send only one e-mail to the recipient(s) for each alert activated at that time. Highly recommended.

Distance: The distance value is used to determine if the LSR or Weather alert is close enough to you location to be triggered. i.e. show me all of the selected storm reports that occur within 50 miles of my base location. A low value will reduce the number of alerts you receive and a high number will greatly increase the number of alerts.

Time (minutes): Often storm reports "come in" after the event. This selection will include only the storm reports that occurred within the time frame defined. i.e. the last 240 minutes.

Select the Storm Reports you would like to be notified of: This section allows the user to define which storm reports they want to be alerted to.

Select the observed weather you would like to be notified of: This selection allows the user to define which observed weather (BY OFFICIAL WEATHER STATIONS) they would like to be alerted to. Weather station reports typically come in once an hour but more often with severe weather.

ADVANCED Mode: Advanced mode is designed when you are interested in alerts for more than one location. It is more complicated than simple mode.

Selections on this window include:

LSR/WX Alerts Active – This option will activate or de-activate these alerts.

Base (name) - This option shows the Base Location to be used in the alert process. You can change the base location via that option.

Location Group - This option will include all of the locations in the location group identified on the right in the alert process.

System Tray Notification - This option will allow the alerts to be displayed as a windows pop-up item (see top of this page).

E-mail - This option will allow the alerts to be send via e-mail to the address or e-mail address group entered to the right.

Also send to location's e-mail address - This option not only send the alert to e-mail identified but also send an e-mail to the address associated with any location in the location group that has an alert activated. Location E-mail addresses can be defined via system/general options location maintenance.

Group Alerts into a single e-mail - This option will send only one e-mail to the recipient(s) for each alert activated at that time. Highly recommended.

Default Distance: This value allows the user to set the distance value for all types of events... by selecting the "set all to default distance". The distance value is used to determine if the LSR or Weather alert is close enough to your location to be triggered. i.e. show me all of the selected storm reports that occur within 50 miles of my base location. A low value will reduce the number of alerts you receive and a high number will greatly increase the number of alerts.

Time (minutes): Often storm reports "come in" after the event. This selection will include only the storm reports that occurred within the time frame defined. i.e. the last 240 minutes.

Select the Storm Reports you would like to be alerted to and the distance of notification: This section allows the user to define which storm reports they want to be alerted to and also define a different distance for the different types of storm reports. i.e. Show me all tornado reports within 30 miles an all heavy snow reports within 100 miles.

Select the observed weather you would like to be alerted to and the distance of notification: This selection allows the user to define which observed weather (BY OFFICIAL WEATHER STATIONS) they would like to be alerted to and also define a different distance for each type of observed weather. i.e. Show me all heavy thunderstorm reports within 50 miles and all heavy snow reports within 120 miles. Weather station reports typically come in once an hour but more often with severe weather.

Wind Sust >: This option allows the user to define the sustained wind conditions they would like to be alerted of.  For example... alert me anything an OFFICIAL WEATHER station, within 30 miles, reports sustained winds of 40 knots.

Wind Gust >: This option allows the user to define the wind gust conditions they would like to be alerted of.  For example... alert me anything an OFFICIAL WEATHER station, within 30 miles, reports wind gusts of 50 knots.