StormSync Lite.
An idea for a small, radar-first companion to StormSync VT/OI: open it, see the radar and every active warning, and that is all. It is still at the planning stage and has no release date.
Radar first, alerts instantly.
The full StormSync VT/OI app is a monitoring console with a lot in it. Lite would be the opposite: a standalone radar app that opens fast, draws every active warning polygon on the map, and does little else.
The plan is zero setup. A central StormSync server would keep one connection open to NWWS-OI, parse the warnings and polygons, and send them to every Lite user. That way nobody needs their own NWWS-OI account, and the credentials stay on my server.
Everything on this page is a plan, not a promise, and any of it can change.
Fast warnings
Warnings would come through the central relay, so there is a short relay hop on top of the normal NWWS-OI delivery time. The aim is for it to be too small to notice.
No credentials
No NWWS-OI application and no 10 to 30 day wait. The central server handles the connection for everyone.
Light on purpose
Radar and warnings only. No archives, no dashboards, no stream tools. Those stay in VT/OI.
Pushed, not polled.
Most radar apps ask the public API for new warnings on a timer. Whatever is issued between two checks waits for the next one.
Lite would listen to a live broadcast instead, so a new warning would reach the map at about the same time it leaves the forecast office, plus the relay hop.
NWS public API
Central NWWS-OI relay
The same tiers and colors.
Lite would use the same severity tiers and color scheme as VT/OI. Clicking a warning polygon would open its details: type, severity rank, area, expiry and storm motion.
The cards on the right are a mock-up of the style, using made-up example warnings. They are not screenshots of a finished app.
Lite and VT/OI side by side.
Two apps for two jobs. Lite would be the quick look at the map. VT/OI is the full console, and it is the one you can download today.
| Capability | StormSync Lite (planned) | StormSync VT/OI (available) |
|---|---|---|
| Live warning polygons | Yes | Yes |
| Live NWWS-OI alerts | Yes, central relay only | Yes, central relay or your own account |
| NWWS-OI credentials needed | Never | NoOptional, for a private connection |
| Sign-up form before download | Not planned | Short free formI plan to remove it |
| SPC outlooks, archives, alert history | No, on purpose | Yes |
| OBS stream tools | No | Yes |
| Best for | A quick look at radar and warnings | Power users, spotters, streamers |
| Status | Planned, no release date | Available now, v0.0.63 |