Connecting Google Earth and Maps to NDFD Web Services

Google Earth: Import NDFD Data from a File into Google Earth
Google Maps: Import NDFD Data from a KML file stored on the web

Using NDFD Data Wrapped in KML

Google Earth allows users to import from files containing data encoded in Keyhole Markup Language (KML). Users can open a NDFD KML file by selecting the Google "File" menu and then the "Open" option.  See the image below.



Since the NDFD SOAP service can return NDFD data encoded in KML, users can save the results of a SOAP request to a file and then import the data into Google Earth. A sample request is provided below:

NDFD Data Encoded in KML for a single feature for a single point, single NDFD element, and single time

To retrieve the NDFD data enoded in KML, on the following page, click on "NDFD Data Encoded in GML for Single Time" (or "for Time Period") and choose "Ndfd_KmlPoint" as the Feature.

https://digital.weather.gov/xml/SOAP_server/ndfdXML.htm

Using NDFD Data Wrapped in KML and Posted to the Worldwide Web

Google Maps allows users to import KML from a URL. Users can open a NDFD KML file by pasting the KML file's URL into the "Search the map" text box.  See the image below.



Once the URL is entered in the text box, click on the "Search Maps" button. After a few moments, the KML file's contents will be displayed.  See the image below.



Users can experiment with a sample file containing a wind speed forecast for selected cities from across the United States.
https://digital.weather.gov/xml/docs/sample_NDFD_KML.kml

To retrieve the NDFD data enoded in KML, on the following page, click on "NDFD Data Encoded in GML for Single Time" (or "for Time Period") and choose "Ndfd_KmlPoint" as the Feature.

https://digital.weather.gov/xml/SOAP_server/ndfdXML.htm