[Xastir-Dev] wind barb and more

[J. Lance Cotton]

On Wednesday 21 May 2003 05:44, Rolf Bleher, DK7IN wrote:
> Hi,
>
> during my translation work I saw some more small errors but first I
> need your help.
>
> Can someone explain to me what "wind barb" means, I didn't found a
> suitable translation and think it has nothing to do with barbed wire
> in the wind ;-)  Is that a sudden strong wind for a short time period
> with a higher velocity than over a longer time?

The "wind barb" is the little indicator on a weather map that consists of a 
short line in the direction the wind comes from, and on the end of the short 
line are little tick-marks. Each tick-mark indicates 10 knots of wind speed, 
and each half-length tick-mark indicates 5 knots of wind speed.

Also, if the tick mark is a filled in triangle, that indicates 50 knots, and 
if it's a filled in square, 100 knots. I am not sure if Xastir draws the 
filled in kind. 

The wind barbs indicate sustained winds, not gusts. Perhaps a translation of 
"wind indicator" would work.

> I also don't know what the "Heat Index" in the weather station context
> is.

The "Heat Index" is a calculated value based on relative humidity and air 
temperature meant to reflect the subjective temperature or "how hot it 
feels". I think it is used often (expecially  near coastal regions) in the US 
because the weather can feel very bad (sticky and hot) when the actual 
temperature may be a not too uncomfortable 32 deg C (90 deg F). Us lazy 
Amercians ;-) complain that it feels hotter and the weather forecaster must 
be wrong about the temperature. 

If a literal translation of "Heat Index" won't likely be understood, a 
translation of "subjective temperature" might work. Someone else probably has 
a better suggestion on that, though.

-Lance
-- 
J. Lance Cotton, KJ5O
joe at lightningflash.net
Three Step Plan: 1. Take over the world. 2. Get a lot of cookies. 3. Eat the 
cookies.