Detect TS only in body of METAR

[peepsnet]

The code for checking if a metar contains any TS is missing one qualifyer.

TS can appear alone in a metar:

KPBI 011956Z 14015KT 10SM TS SCT027CB SCT090 BKN250 32/21 A2991 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N TSB56 OCNL LTGICCC NW-N TS NW-N MOV SE T03220206

This line does not detect that TS by itself

https://github.com/ScottSturdivant/rpi_metar/blob/7b67181c3d5b59ead807a4c06cb7fc9f8293a5bb/rpi_metar/airports.py#L88

I propose the line be:

self.thunderstorms = any(word in metar['raw_text'] for word in ['TSRA', 'VCTS', 'TS ']) and self.category != wx.FlightCategory.OFF

By adding the "TS "(with a space) you will catch all the TS in the body of the metar

[thommo17]

Will this also capture METARs with a heavy (+) symbol? eg. +TSRA

[peepsnet]

Will this also capture METARs with a heavy (+) symbol? eg. +TSRA

Yes. The function

word in metar['raw_text'] for word in ['TSRA', 'VCTS', 'TS ']

will find any instance of the options: TSRA or VCTS or TS

[ScottSturdivant]

Agreed that it'd be nice to search for "TS" as a weather modifier. This particular modification however would match too much - for instance, the ICAO of KSTS would always match, regardless of their weather conditions.

Would you be able to convert it into something more strict?

Thanks for working on it!

[peepsnet]

That is why I asked to match "TS " (Notice the space after TS).

More strict would be " TS "(a space on each side)

I am using the modified code with success

[ScottSturdivant]

KSTS 021853Z VRB04KT 10SM SCT026 17/12 A2989 RMK AO2 SLP115 T01670122 would still get matched with the trailing space.

Are there other modifiers that get combined with TS? I'm afraid that " TS " might then miss something like "TSSH". Maybe the best search would be for TS anywhere in the body that's NOT the first word (the ICAO code)?

[peepsnet]

Well... According to this page: http://moratech.com/aviation/metar-class/metar-pg9-ww.html#DECODE

Any time thunderstorms are mentioned it is the leading letters in the identifier except for VCTS

So... ' TS', '+TS', '-TS', 'VCTS' would find all the variables... but it would also match:

TSB25RAB25

but that would always exist after RMK if you delete the first 4 chars and everything after RMK then all that is left would be current weather data. Then that var could be searched for ' TS', '+TS', '-TS', 'VCTS'

Any value there??

[ScottSturdivant]

What do you think about this regex that looks for TS between the ICAO and RMK (if it exists)? That way it won't match any remarks about a TS having ended.

[peepsnet]

What do you think about this regex that looks for TS between the ICAO and RMK (if it exists)? That way it won't match any remarks about a TS having ended.

Looks good. The only thing left is to release it on the world and wait to be proven wrong! :)

[ScottSturdivant]

@peepsnet, did you want to update your PR to go with the regex approach from #9, or would you prefer I just make the change and close this PR?

[ScottSturdivant]

Fixed this in f9f549e, closing.