FAQ Public Safety

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact a Baron support staff member to discuss product details, troubleshooting and more. Get the most out of your Threat Net System and enjoy instant access to fast and accurate critical weather intelligence. Email [email protected]
What is Baron Threat Net?
Threat Net is a web and mobile tablet weather briefing site designed to keep people and assets safe. The subscription site includes patented weather data designed to inform and help organizations make decisions ahead of impactful weather conditions.
What web browsers/devices are supported?
We currently support the latest versions of Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari, as well as iPad 2 and above. There is no mobile phone browser support at this time.
How do I sign up?
On the main home page at www.baronthreatnet.com select the view packages option. Once you have determined which package you are interested you may select a Free 7 Trial (available on monthly packages only) or immediately purchase the appropriate subscription. Click the “add to cart” button. You will be guided through the necessary steps to create your account and process your subscription or trial.
Can I use Baron Threat Net on multiple computers at the same time?
Yes. Each subscription is licensed for (2) two devices.
Does or can Baron Threat Net use my GPS location?
No.
Does or can GPS be used for me to see my position on Baron Threat Net?
No.
Are any subscription discounts available, and if so, under what conditions?
Organization discounts are available. Please email [email protected] for multi-license subscriptions or special packages.
Does or can Baron Threat Net send weather alerts to my smart phone or e-mail?
No.
Is a user’s manual available for Baron Threat Net?
A manual is not available at this time.
What kind of customer support is available?
Support is currently available via email, at [email protected].
Is any training available?
We plan to continually add training videos and tutorials to our support page.
How do I manipulate the Baron Threat Net map?
To zoom in and out, use either the plus and minus buttons on the left edge of the screen, or your mouse wheel (or pinch to zoom in and out on an iPad tablet). To pan the map, click and drag with the mouse (or move your finger over the map on an iPad tablet). You can also hide the top and bottom rows of buttons using the button with two arrows, in order to make the map area fill the screen.
What are the sources for the weather data?
The sources of weather data are Baron, the National Weather Service, and various other industry leading weather data providers.
How often does the data refresh?
For “live” radar products, update times range from 5-15 minutes. For forecast model products, update times are every 6 hours. All products are immediately updated as available.
How is the data delivered?
All data products are delivered via your Internet connection.
What are the Forecast Models offered?
We currently offer data from the Baron high-resolution WRF 5km model.
What are the products/features that are Baron Threat Net exclusives?
All of the products exclusive to Baron Threat Net are labeled with a blue “Exclusive” box.
What is the Current Conditions product?
Current conditions are collected from the official Aviation Routine Weather Reports, called METARs. These reports are highly standardized around the globe, and are used by meteorologists to generate forecasts and weather reports. These are the official temperatures used by the National Weather Service.
What is the Current Wind Speed product?
The Current Wind Speed product is a quality-controlled raster of the current wind speed. The data is filtered so that only wind speeds above 10 mph are displayed.
What is the Cloud to Ground Lightning product?
The Cloud to Ground Lightning product displays real-time lightning strikes. You can click on a strike to display its position, intensity, and the time the strike was recorded. This data is provided by Earth Networks Total Lightning Network.
A few notes about this data:
  • Lightning data is pinpoint-accurate. When the map is zoomed out, a group of strikes will be presented as a smaller cluster. Zoom in to see individual strikes at street-level.
  • The data is displayed in real-time as strikes occur.
  • White lightning icons indicate a positive strike, which is the more destructive type. Yellow icons indicate a negative strike.
  • Click a lightning icon to see the intensity of the strike. For positive the strikes, the higher the value, the stronger the strike. For negative strikes, a larger negative value (e.g., -25) is stronger than a smaller value (e.g., -5).
  • - The size of each icon is based on its intensity. The higher the intensity number or the larger the icon, the more powerful the strike.
What is the Visibility/Fog product?
The Visibility/Fog product is a contoured product derived from surface observations depicting visibility of 1 mile or less for the continental United States.
What are NWS Watches and Warnings?
The National Weather Service issues watches and warnings based on either pre-defined county outlines, pre-defined offshore marine zones, or short-lived, unique polygons outlining a specific weather system. The county and marine zone alerts warn everyone within the county or zone borders, while the polygon-based alerts are more specific, alerting only those affected by the weather inside the polygon.
What is the Baron Road Condition product?
The Baron Road Conditions is the result of the Baron Threat Matrix analysis product and can display the following real-time road condition alerts to improve driver safety:  Flooded, Slippery, Patchy Ice, Ice, Snow, and Heavy Snow. It is derived from a 1km road model, and a combination of real-time and forecast products.
What is the Surface Analysis product?
The Surface Analysis product displays the current location and projected 48-hour movement of high and low pressure systems, as well as cold, warm, occluded and stationary fronts and troughs.
What is the Severe Storm Outlooks – Day 1 Outlook product?
The Storm Prediction Center's projected likelihood of severe storms in an area, valid for the first 24-hour period. Descriptions are defined in terms of general storms, marginal risk of severe storms, slight risk of severe storms, enhanced risk of severe storms, moderate risk of severe storms, and high risk of severe storms.
What is the Severe Storm Outlooks – Day 1 Hail product?
The Storm Prediction Center's projected probability of any given area experiencing hail in excess of 1" in diameter (the severe criteria for hail) within the next day.
What is the Severe Storm Outlooks – Day 1 Tornado product?
The Storm Prediction Center's projected probability of any given area experiencing a tornado within the next day.
What is the Severe Storm Outlooks – Day 1 Wind product?
The Storm Prediction Center's projected probability of damaging thunderstorm winds or wind gusts of 50 knots or higher within 25 miles of a given area within the next day.
What is the Severe Storm Outlooks – Day 2 Outlook product?
The Storm Prediction Center's projected likelihood of severe storms in an area, valid for hours 24-48. Descriptions are defined in terms of general storms, marginal risk of severe storms, slight risk of severe storms, enhanced risk of severe storms, moderate risk of severe storms, and high risk of severe storms.
What is the Severe Storm Outlooks – Day 3 Outlook product?
The Storm Prediction Center's projected likelihood of severe storms in an area, valid for hours 48-72. Descriptions are defined in terms of general storms, marginal risk of severe storms, slight risk of severe storms, enhanced risk of severe storms, moderate risk of severe storms, and high risk of severe storms.
What is the Surface Temperatures product?
The Surface Temperatures product is a quality-controlled raster of the current temperatures based on observations.
What is the High-Res Radar product?
This product is created from reflectivity radar data, which is then quality controlled to remove any false returns. A composite of all NEXRAD radars is taken which then provides a mosaic image covering the United States. This product has a resolution of 250 meters and contains 256 colors. It refreshes every 5 minutes.
What is the 24-Hour Rainfall Accumulation product?
This product is based on radar data derived from all NEXRAD radar sites and indicates the 24-hour accumulation total.
What is the Future Radar product?
The Future Radar product provides a glimpse into the future, incorporating NEXRAD reflectivity data and projecting the growth, movement and decay of storms up to 60 minutes in advance.  The entire process is powered by a series of complex algorithms supplied by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). 
What is the Echo Tops product?
This product is created using NEXRAD radar imagery. This is the radar indicator of storm tops or “Echo Tops” in feet.
What is the NWS Storm Tracks product?
These color-coded arrows show the speed and direction of severe weather, like strong storms, hail, and rotating storms (Meso/TVS). The storm track originates from the center of the storm. Click a Track to get a detailed breakdown of expected conditions. With the slider, you can project a storm cell’s movement up to an hour in advance.
There are five types of NWS storm tracks. Each indicates a different type of weather threat:
  • TVS – The Tornado Vortex Signature, indicated by a pink storm track, means that an intense concentrated rotation in an area of a storm has been detected. This indicates an increased probability of a tornado.
  • Meso – This purple storm track indicates a region of rotation, typically around 2-6 miles in diameter that has been detected within a storm.
  • Severe Hail – Dark blue storm tracks indicate that possible hail has developed within a storm that is 3/4 inch or larger in diameter.
  • Hail – A light blue storm track indicates that possible hail has developed within an area of the storm that is more than pea size in diameter.
  • Storm – Grey storm tracks indicate a disturbed state of the atmosphere ranging in scale from tornadoes and thunderstorms to tropical cyclones to synoptic-scale extratropical cyclones. These are generally weaker storms than what you see with other NWS storm tracks.
What is the Super-Res Level II Reflectivity product?
This is the highest resolution radar reflectivity data from every single site NEXRAD radar in the U.S. The data resolution is 256 meters and contains 256 colors. It is updated every 2 to 12 minutes depending on the radar operating mode.
What are Baron Storm Vectors?
Based on Baron’s exclusive severe weather processing algorithms, these color-coded arrows show the speed and direction of severe weather, like high winds, hail and possible tornadoes. The storm vector originates from the actual threat location (not the center of the storm like NWS Storm Tracks). Click a Vector to get a detailed breakdown of expected conditions. With the slider, you can project a storm cell’s movement up to an hour in advance.
There are five types of Baron storm vectors. Each indicates a different type of weather threat:
  • Tornado Likely – This bright red flashing storm vector indicates that there is rotation in the storm and there is a likelihood of the storm to produce a tornado near the location of the storm vector at any moment.
  • Tornado Possible – A dark red storm vector means that the storm is strong enough that it could possibly produce a tornado near the location of the storm vector at any moment.
  • High Winds – Yellow storm vectors mean damaging winds of at least 60 mph have been detected within a given area of the storm.
  • Extreme Hail – This dark blue storm vector means possible damaging hail, estimated to be at least 2 inches in size or larger, has been detected within a storm.
  • Hail – Blue storm vectors mean that possible hail, estimated to be at least 3/4 inch in size, has been detected in an area of a storm.
What is the Velocity product?
This data provides high-resolution imagery of wind moving toward and away from the radar. Advanced processing techniques can reveal tornadic development with a detail never before seen. The data resolution is 256 meters and contains 256 colors. It is updated every 2 to 12 minutes depending on the radar operating mode.
What is the Severe Wind product?
This product shows the areas of wind shear for locating both rotating storms and strong winds. Areas designated in light green to brown to yellow and orange showing increasing wind shear. The data resolution is 256 meters and contains 256 colors. It is updated every 5 minutes.
What is the Severe Threats product?
This product utilizes a 15-color scale to let you simultaneously see areas of probable damaging winds (reds, white and black), hail (purples) and flooding (greens).
What are the various Satellite products?
Satellite imagery is available in either visible or infrared, and gives an accurate depiction of cloud cover globally or only over North America. Visible imagery is only available during the daylight hours and infrared is available at all times.
What is the Forecast Temperatures product?
A forecast of temperatures at the surface at a specified time in the future based on the Baron model.
What is the Dew Point product?
A forecast of dewpoints at the surface at a specified time in the future based on the Baron model.
What is the Categorized Precipitation product?
A precipitation forecast which can distinguish between areas of rain, freezing mix, and snow, along with an idea of the intensity of the given precipitation type.
What is the Sea Level Pressure product?
A forecast of sea level pressure at the surface based on the Baron model.
What is the Relative Humidity product?
A forecast of the relative humidity at various altitudes based on the Baron model.
What is the Accumulated Precipitation product?
A forecast of total liquid event precipitation accumulations at a specified time in the future based on the Baron model.
What is the CAPE product?
A forecast of convective available potential energy at the surface at a specified time in the future based on the Baron model.  See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convective_available_potential_energy.
What is the Wind product?
A forecast of the wind direction at various altitudes above the surface. Best when used in conjunction with the Wind Speed product.
What is the Accumulated Snow product?
A forecast of snow accumulations at a specified time in the future based on the Baron model.
What is the Storm Relative Helicty product?
A forecast of storm relative helicity at a specified time in the future based on the Baron model.  Storm Relative Helicity is the tendency of a storm to rotate and therefore a measure of possible tornadic activity.
What is the Wind Speed product?
A forecast of the wind speeds at various altitudes. Best when used in conjunction with the Wind product.
What is the Cloud Cover product?
A forecast of the percentage of cloud cover at various elevations and at a specified time in the future based on the Baron forecast model.
What is the Buoys product?
A network of oceanic and freshwater buoys collecting data such as sea surface temperatures, barometric pressure, wind speed, wave heights and more. It should be noted that not all buoys are programmed to collect every sensor measurement.
What is the High Resolution Sea Temps product?
A 2km resolution sea surface temperature product for oceanic and large fresh waterways based on proprietary data.
What is the Wave Height product?
4km resolution wave height conditions for oceanic and fresh water waterways based on proprietary data.
What is the Marine Zones product?
These are the official marine zone forecasts for coastal waters, high seas, and offshore waters of the U.S.
What is the Tropical Track product?
The National Hurricane Center's tropical cyclone forecast. This shows you the cone of uncertainty for the track. This product will only trigger when a tropical event is evident.
What is the Hurricane Hunter product?
Hurricane Hunter data consists of tropical cyclone observations from flight missions conducted by the U.S. Air Force.
What is the Tropical Track Forecast product?
These are various model forecasts of projected tracks for tropical storms and hurricanes. These are often referred to as “Spaghetti Plots”.
How does the Telestration feature work?
Click on the "Telestration" button, then click and drag on the map to make freehand drawings. Click the Clear Telestration button to clear Telestration drawings from the screen.
How does the Distance feature work?
Click on the "Distance" button, then click and drag the mouse to make a circle with a dotted line appear. The dotted line’s length is shown in the center of the circle. The dotted line also represents the radius of the circle. Click the "Distance" button again to remove the circle.
How do you make a manual storm track?
Click the "Storm Tracking" button, then click and hold the mouse at the spot on the map where you want the storm track to begin, drag the mouse to the spot on the map where you want the track to finish, and release the mouse button. You can then fine-tune the track parameters in the menus that appear.
How do you make an automated storm track?
When either NWS Storm Tracks or Baron Storm Vectors is selected, you will see small boxes with arrows appear on the map if any storms meet the selected criteria. Simply click the small box with the area and the storm track menu will appear with the storm attributes. You can then fine-tune the track parameters in the menus that appear.
How do I add a legend for the product I’m currently viewing?
Click the Legends button to make a legend appear at the top of the map. Note that legends are not available for all data products.
How do I query the value of a data product at a specific spot on the map?
With a data product displaying, click the Point Queries button, then click on the map where you want to make a query. The value at the spot you clicked will appear as text. You can select multiple locations.
How do I switch between using English measurement units and metric measurement units?
Next to your user profile in the upper right corner of the screen, there is a button that reads either ENG (when you are using English measurements) or MET (when you are using metric measurements). Simply click this button to switch the type of units you are using.
When will I be billed?
You will be billed for the first month or year as soon as you subscribe, and every month or year after that. If you change your plan in the middle of a billing cycle, you are charged a prorated amount depending on when you changed your plan.
My credit card has expired. How do I update my credit card information?
  • From the Map page, click on your username in the upper right hand corner of the screen to access your user profile page.
  • Click the Subscription link to access your Subscription Summary.
  • Click the Update Billing link, which allows you to change your credit card information and billing address.
If I cancel my subscription, do I immediately lose access to my data?
No. You will continue to have access to your data until the end of the month/year to which you originally subscribed.
My user name and password don’t work anymore; what do I do?
From the Sign-In page, click the "Request New Password" link, enter your username or email address in the User Information dialog, then click "Resend Password".
Is there a way to pay via check or Purchase Order?
On the billing information page during checkout you'll see a red "Manual Payments" button. Click that and fill in the required fields. We’ll contact you directly to complete the process.
Can I sign up one month and then cancel the next, only to re-subscribe at a later date?
Yes.
What are your privacy policies?
You can review our entire privacy policy here: http://www.baronthreatnet.com/content/privacy-policy
What are the terms and conditions for using the web site?
Read the full set of terms and conditions here: http://www.baronthreatnet.com/end-user-agreement
What is the Baron Tornado Index (BTI)?
The Baron Tornado Index (BTI) gives you with a simple 1-10 ranking on the likelihood of tornadic development. The higher the ranking, the greater the probability. A BTI value is provided with every Baron Storm Vector. To access this information, click a Baron Storm Vector. The BTI ranking will be posted near the top of the storm information box that appears.