RadarOmega — Weather Radar App & Weather Station App

01  What Is RadarOmega — and Why Is It Different?

RadarOmega is a consumer weather application developed by SDS Weather (Storm Damage Services, Inc.) — the same team that created cyclonePort. Available on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and Linux, RadarOmega wraps professional-grade weather data into a user-friendly interface that everyday users can understand: high-resolution NEXRAD Doppler radar with dual-polarization products, numerical model data (HRRR, NAM, GFS, ECMWF) for advanced subscribers, satellite imagery, SPC convective outlooks, NHC tropical products, MRMS precipitation analysis, and — uniquely — live sensor data and camera feeds from the cyclonePort ground-truth station network.

RadarOmega is built around storm tracking, severe weather monitoring, and situational awareness — the kind of tool that lets you see what’s actually happening when weather threatens your area, not just what a generalized forecast says. With 261,000+ subscribers across five countries, it has the depth of data that broadcast meteorologists put on air and the accessibility that any household can use to make informed decisions about their safety.

02  The cyclonePort + RadarOmega Integration — Why It Matters

The relationship between cyclonePort and RadarOmega is not an integration between two separate products — it is a native connection between the hardware and software built by the same team, for the same purpose. Every cyclonePort station appears on the RadarOmega map by default; hardware owners have the option to set their station’s visibility to private at their discretion. There is no separate dashboard login, no API key configuration, no data connector to maintain. The station is simply there, in the app, the moment it comes online.

Note: cyclonePort hardware owners actually operate their stations through cyclonePORT Enterprise — a separate enterprise application that is powered by the same RadarOmega data. Consumer-level RadarOmega users can view public cyclonePort camera and data feeds. Camera control and station management are reserved for authorized enterprise users in cyclonePORT Enterprise.

What You See When You Tap a cyclonePort Station Marker

Tapping any public cyclonePort station marker on the RadarOmega map opens a live panel displaying:

• All current sensor readings: temperature, humidity, heat index, dew point, wind speed (sustained and gust), wind direction, barometric pressure and trend, rainfall rate and accumulation, lightning strike detection, WBGT (where installed)
• Trend sparklines: intuitive display of how each parameter has changed over the past 20 minutes — not just the current value but whether it is rising or falling and how fast
• Current WBGT threat level: displayed on the station readout where WBGT is installed
• Live PTZ camera feed: the live HD camera stream from the station, viewable by all RadarOmega users on public stations. Camera control (pan/tilt/zoom) is not available through RadarOmega at any subscription tier — that capability is reserved for authorized users in cyclonePORT Enterprise.
• Historical sensor chart access: the data archive for a unit is available to authorized members of the organization that owns the unit. The amount of data archived depends on the data storage package the hardware owner has chosen.

All of this appears alongside the NEXRAD radar loop, NWS warning overlays, and lightning detection that RadarOmega provides — giving the operator the regional storm picture (radar) and the ground-truth local reality (station sensors and camera) on the same screen.

The Ground-Truth Value of Combined Views

The operational value of this combination is clearest in the moments that matter most. A severe thunderstorm warning is displayed on the RadarOmega map. The radar shows the storm cell approaching. The user taps a nearby public cyclonePort station — and sees how conditions are changing in real time as the storm approaches, along with a live camera feed showing what’s actually happening on the ground. The NWS warning gives you the authoritative regional threat; the station gives you the local confirmation. The NWS warning always takes top priority — RadarOmega’s hyper-local tools help you better understand the immediate threats around you, not discount NWS warnings in any way.

03  RadarOmega Radar Features — What the App Provides

RadarOmega’s radar capabilities are the foundation of the platform — the reason it has 261,000+ subscribers independent of its cyclonePort integration. For cyclonePort customers, these capabilities give the station data its context: what is approaching, how intense it is, how fast it is moving, and how it compares to what the on-site sensors are already showing.

Single-Site NEXRAD Doppler Radar Products

• High-resolution single-site radar: Level 2 and Level 3 products at the highest available resolution — hi-res reflectivity, hi-res velocity, storm relative velocity, correlation coefficient, differential reflectivity, and dual-polarization products for hail and precipitation type discrimination.
• NEXRAD attributes — automatic tornado vortex signature (TVS) detection: RadarOmega surfaces NEXRAD-derived attributes that automatically detect and indicate tornado vortex signatures (TVSs) and other automated radar-derived features within the data stream. Users can see flagged TVS locations directly on the radar map.
• Velocity and shear products: Velocity products can be used to identify rotation signatures within storms — mesocyclone signatures that can indicate tornado formation.
• Hail core identification via dual-polarization: Dual-pol radar products (correlation coefficient, differential reflectivity, specific differential phase) allow users to identify hail cores within storm cells.
• Custom storm track tool: Users can draw projected storm paths and receive estimated arrival times at saved locations. (Note: the Impact Times list generated by the custom storm track tool surfaces ETAs for built-in points along the track; custom locations can be inferred from the track but ETAs for custom locations are not explicitly displayed in the Impact Times list.) (#3)
• 3D volumetric radar: Available to Alpha subscribers — view the full vertical structure of a storm cell, revealing a supercell’s hook echo at multiple altitude slices simultaneously.
• Historical radar archive: 7 days for base users; 30 days for Gamma; 90 days for Beta and Alpha.
• Animated frames: 30 frames for base users, up to 250 frames for Alpha subscribers.

• Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM): Real-time total lightning (in-cloud and cloud-to-ground) from GOES satellites, overlaid on radar and satellite.
• Mesoscale satellite sectors: Ultra-high spatial and temporal resolution satellite sectors for active severe weather areas, updated every 30–60 seconds during severe weather events.

Numerical Weather Models (Alpha subscribers)

Alpha subscribers access full numerical weather model output directly in RadarOmega — the same model data that professional meteorologists use for forecasting, overlaid on the same map as radar and station data:

• Short-range regional models: HRRR (High Resolution Rapid Refresh, 3-km resolution, hourly updates), NAM (North American Mesoscale, 3-km and 12-km), RAP (Rapid Refresh)
• Global models: GFS (Global Forecast System, 12-km), ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts)
• Hurricane models: HWRF and HMON
• Parameters: Reflectivity, wind speed, precipitation accumulation, temperature, dew point, and more — with contour overlay and customization

Weather Products and Outlooks

• 60+ NWS weather alert types: RadarOmega delivers tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm warnings, flash flood warnings, plus the full range of NWS storm-based and non-precipitation warnings/watches/advisories — 60+ alert types covered in total.
• SPC (Storm Prediction Center): Convective outlooks (Day 1 through Day 8) with significant severe hatching, mesoscale discussions, tornado and severe thunderstorm watches
• NHC (National Hurricane Center): Tropical weather outlooks, active tropical cyclone tracks, storm surge watches/warnings, Hurricane Hunter aircraft track data
• WPC (Weather Prediction Center): Excessive rainfall outlooks, winter weather forecasts and Winter Storm Severity Index, WPC surface analysis
• Fire Weather: Fire weather outlooks and weekly drought monitor

04  Subscription Tiers — Base, Gamma, Beta, Alpha

RadarOmega uses a tiered subscription model that provides progressively more powerful data tools. The base application is available at a one-time purchase price and includes full cyclonePort network access — public station sensor data and live camera feeds — alongside core radar functionality. Subscriptions unlock additional data layers and archive depth.

Subscriptions are available as monthly or annual plans starting at $4.99/month. All paid subscriptions include desktop access (Windows, Mac, Linux). cyclonePort station data and camera feeds on public stations are included in the base application — no subscription required to view your local cyclonePort network in RadarOmega.

05  RadarOmega as a Weather Station App — Accessing cyclonePort Data

For people exploring nearby cyclonePort station feeds, RadarOmega is the consumer weather app where public cyclonePort data appears natively on the same map as radar. For cyclonePort hardware owners, the actual operational interface is cyclonePORT Enterprise — a separate enterprise application that has all the same features as RadarOmega plus enterprise-specific tools. cyclonePORT Enterprise is powered by RadarOmega data. Hardware owners do not operate their stations through RadarOmega.

Station Dashboard Features (RadarOmega view)

• Live sensor display: All current readings — temperature, humidity, heat index, wind speed and gusts, wind direction, pressure and trend, rainfall, lightning proximity, WBGT — updated every second
• Trend sparklines: Each parameter shows direction and rate of change over the past 20 minutes
• Heat index and WBGT category display: NWS heat danger level and GHSA/NFHS/NCAA WBGT category displayed alongside the reading
• Live PTZ camera (view only): HD camera stream available within the station panel. Camera control is not available to RadarOmega users at any tier — that capability is reserved for authorized users in cyclonePORT Enterprise.

Customizable cyclonePort Dashboard (multi-camera view)

For organizations with multiple cyclonePort units, the cyclonePORT dashboard is a separate tool in the side menu (not on the map) that displays multiple camera views simultaneously in one place. Each camera tile can be selected to view individually and see that unit’s sensor readouts. This is useful for organizations that need to keep eyes on several locations at once. Note: this dashboard shows multiple camera views simultaneously, but sensor data is shown when an individual unit is opened — there is no view that displays sensor readings from multiple units at the same time.

You can also have multiple cyclonePort unit displays open within the desktop version simultaneously if you want to monitor parallel readings — but that is not a dedicated “multi-station view” feature.

Customizable cyclonePort Dashboard (multi-camera view)

06  Cross-Platform Access — Phone, Tablet, and Desktop

RadarOmega is available across all major platforms — but the cross-platform mechanics deserve a clear explanation because they differ between the base application purchase, the subscription, and the desktop application:

• Base application: Available on both iOS and Android, purchased separately on each platform. Purchasing the base app on iOS does not automatically purchase it on Android, and vice versa. If you want the mobile app on both an iPhone and an Android tablet, you’ll buy the base app twice — once per platform.
• Subscription (Gamma / Beta / Alpha): Cross-platform. Once you own the base app on a platform, your subscription works on that platform. The subscription itself can be used across iOS, Android, and desktop simultaneously. However, changes to the subscription (upgrading tiers, billing changes, cancellation) must be made through the platform on which the subscription was originally purchased.
• Desktop application (Windows, Mac, Linux): Free download from radaromega.com — no separate purchase. Desktop access is included with any paid subscription. This is true cross-platform: you do not need to “buy” desktop the way you buy iOS or Android.

07  Alert System — Push Notifications and Safety Protocols

RadarOmega’s alert system is built around one absolute principle: NWS warnings always take top priority. RadarOmega delivers NWS storm-based warnings to all users via push notification — these are the authoritative regional threat warnings, and our hyper-local tools (radar, station data, camera feeds) help you better understand and respond to those NWS warnings, never to discount or override them.

NWS Storm-Based Warnings — Regional Situational Awareness

RadarOmega delivers real-time NWS storm-based warnings to all users via push notification — tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm warnings, flash flood warnings, plus the full range of 60+ NWS alert types — with GPS-based delivery (alert fires when a warning polygon intersects your location) or custom location-based delivery (alert fires for any of your saved locations).

• Flash animation: When a warning is active, the warning polygon flashes on the radar map with a bright color.
• In-app sound alert: A distinctive audio alert fires when a new warning is issued.
• Non-precipitation watches and warnings: Extreme cold warnings, excessive heat warnings, wind advisories, dense fog advisories — all included alongside storm-based products.

cyclonePort Network Notifications — What’s Actually Sent

The push notification model for cyclonePort sensor data is narrower than the original draft of this page suggested. To be accurate:

• Lightning push notifications: Available only to cyclonePORT Enterprise users, not to consumer-level RadarOmega subscribers. Configured through cyclonePORT Nexus. Incorporates lightning detected by the cyclonePORT network in addition to standard lightning detection sources.
• WBGT threat level: Displayed as a visual indicator on the cyclonePORT unit’s display when WBGT thresholds are crossed. This is not a push notification — it’s a visual cue on the readout itself.
• Other sensor thresholds (heat index, wind speed, pressure trend, wind chill): RadarOmega does not currently send push notifications when these thresholds are crossed. There is no general sensor-threshold notification capability in RadarOmega at any subscription tier.

08  RadarOmega vs. Consumer Weather Apps

The weather app landscape spans from general-purpose consumer apps (The Weather Channel, AccuWeather, Weather Underground) to more specialized weather apps. RadarOmega sits in the consumer market the same way those other apps do — targeted at the general public — but provides significantly more data and higher data quality. For people who want to make more informed decisions about weather affecting their household, work, or activities, RadarOmega gives access to the underlying data that other consumer apps simplify or hide.

09  Operational Use Cases — Who Uses RadarOmega

Broadcast Meteorology and Television Weather

RadarOmega is used by broadcast meteorologists for on-air weather coverage — its full-resolution radar products, SPC and NHC integration, and customizable display options provide the data quality that television weather demands. For broadcast stations with cyclonePort cameras deployed across their viewing area, RadarOmega provides both the radar context and the live visual ground-truth from those cameras — all in the same platform used for on-air visualization. HD camera feeds from public cyclonePort stations can be embedded directly into broadcast coverage.

Storm Chasers

RadarOmega’s professional-grade radar products — Level 2 data, dual-polarization products, storm relative velocity, MRMS rotation tracks, volumetric radar, and NEXRAD attributes (with automatic TVS detection) — make it a primary tool for storm chasers. A typical use: a chaser monitoring storm-relative velocity products spots radar-estimated TVS attributes overlaid on a storm cell in real time and adjusts position accordingly. The cyclonePort network provides surface observations from public stations along chase routes, supplementing the radar picture. The large and active storm chasing community within the RadarOmega user base creates a network effect: when severe weather events occur, extensive community engagement improves awareness of conditions across the affected area.

Severe Weather Research

University programs and severe weather researchers use RadarOmega’s full radar and model data suite — particularly the Level 2 NEXRAD data, MRMS products, dual-polarization fields, and numerical model output — for case studies, mesoscale event reconstruction, and microclimate analysis. RadarOmega’s historical radar archives (up to 90 days for Beta/Alpha subscribers) support post-event analysis.

Households, Outdoor Enthusiasts, and Everyday Users

The largest single user group is the general public — people who want a clearer picture of weather affecting their home, commute, or weekend plans than a generalized forecast app provides. A parent checks the radar before sending kids to school in a developing storm. An outdoor enthusiast monitors lightning proximity before heading out for a hike. A homeowner tracks an approaching squall line from the couch to know when to bring patio furniture in. RadarOmega’s interface is designed so these everyday decisions don’t require professional meteorology knowledge — the app surfaces the data clearly and lets users interpret it at whatever depth they want.

Schools, Emergency Management, Construction — via cyclonePORT Enterprise

For organizations using cyclonePort hardware to drive safety operations — school athletics, municipal emergency management, construction sites, utility operations — the day-to-day operational interface is cyclonePORT Enterprise, not RadarOmega. cyclonePORT Enterprise includes all RadarOmega capabilities plus enterprise-specific tools (cyclonePORT Nexus for org-level policy, multi-camera dashboard, lightning monitoring notifications, role-based access). RadarOmega is what the broader community around those organizations uses — parents checking conditions at the practice field, community members watching weather around a municipal location, contractors and subcontractors confirming on-site conditions from their phones.

10  Getting Started with RadarOmega and cyclonePort

For Consumer Users (most people)

• Download RadarOmega. Available free as a base application from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. (Note: the base app is purchased separately on iOS vs. Android — owning it on one platform does not automatically grant it on the other.) Desktop version available free from radaromega.com.
• An account is not required to use the base application. Most core functionality works without signing in. An account is required if you want to: create custom saved locations, upload custom color tables, configure basic weather alert notifications, or purchase a subscription.
• View public cyclonePort station data. Public cyclonePort station markers appear on the RadarOmega map by default once you have the app installed. Tap any marker to see live sensor data, trend sparklines, and the live camera feed.
• Subscribe for additional data. The base application includes view-only access to public cyclonePort stations. Gamma, Beta, and Alpha subscriptions unlock additional radar history, satellite, model data, and platform features. Starting at $4.99/month.

For Enterprise / cyclonePort Hardware Customers

cyclonePort hardware is offered to enterprise clients at this time and does not use the RadarOmega consumer flow. Enterprise customers:

1. Contact SDS Weather (via cyclonePort) to discuss requirements and qualify for cyclonePort hardware purchase.
2. License activation is handled by an SDS Weather admin. Enterprise accounts do not use the consumer subscription model — your account is created and licensed for you.
3. Use cyclonePORT Enterprise — the enterprise application that hardware customers operate their stations through. cyclonePORT Enterprise has all RadarOmega’s capabilities plus enterprise-specific tools.
4. Configure organization policy in cyclonePORT Nexus — locations, lightning monitoring notifications, camera operator designations are all set at the org level through Nexus. (Per-unit alert rules are not configured through Nexus; lightning monitoring notifications and camera operator designations are.)

Most deployments go from contract to live data in approximately 2–4 weeks.

11  Platform Specifications

Feature availability and pricing may change. Visit radaromega.com for current subscription options.

12  Frequently Asked Questions