Transcript Staff
The Norman Transcript

With high prospects for hurricanes in the oil-ridden Gulf of Mexico this year, Norman-based Weather Decision Technologies, Inc., and America’s Emergency Network are again partnering to provide an emergency information tool to local newspaper, radio and television websites called the iMapHurricane! video widget.

The widget features live video updates from the nation’s hurricane experts at the National Hurricane Center. Media companies will have access to the widget, which can be embedded in websites for a small, one-time setup fee, whether they are located in hurricane zones or across the country.

WDT recently displayed its unique iMapLive! touch screen weather broadcast tool for reporting on hurricanes at the American Meteorological Society Broadcasters’ Conference in Miami.

iMapLive! includes hurricane threat assessments, dynamic “spaghetti” Hurricane models, a custom user-generated content portal, and an embedded, live storm-tracker video stream feature.

The company also demonstrated its iMapInteractive web-based hurricane solutions and its iMap Weather Radio in Miami, featuring real time NWS alerts, watches and warnings, interactive radar, and custom local media programming for hurricane season.

The iMapHurricane! video widget features real-time video streaming of the National Hurricane Center’s critical storm updates. The NHC plans to provide hourly updates during hurricane landfall situations, and will hold special briefings during high-risk scenarios when storms are especially strong and storm patterns threaten large cities or vulnerable populations.

With iMapHurricane!, each NHC update and briefing will be available live and as video on-demand for four hours after the feed is over to viewers of WDT’s partner websites in over 600 demographic market areas (DMAs). For media outlets with iPhone users, WDT is offering on-demand updates directly to mobile phones through its custom, iMapMobile iPhone application.

"With AEN’s groundbreaking access to live video updates from the National Hurricane Center, and WDT’s extraordinary reach into weather-related media outlets, the opportunities to reach more people with this vital information have grown exponentially," said Mike Eilts, president and CEO of WDT.

Weather Decision Technologies was founded in 2000 and provides weather detection, nowcasting, and forecasting systems and services. WDT maintains operational and international offices in Norman, Atlanta and Austin, Texas.

For more information on iMapHurricane, visit http://wdtinc.com/pages/imaphurricane.