Wave Height & Direction with Google Maps

Meteo Mari e Venti

I think this is the first real-time wave height map that has been featured on Google Maps Mania. Meteo Mari e Venti is a Google Map that shows wave and wind height and direction predictions for the Mediterranean Sea.

There are four map views available on Meteo Mari e Venti, wave height and direction, period and wave direction, wind at 10m and wind gusts. Each of the maps show the current weather conditions. You can also view the forecasts for the next 120 hours using the buttons above the map.

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The Colosseum in Street View

Google have added new Street View imagery in Italy and France. This latest imagery has been captured by the Street View trike that allows Google to go off road and obtain imagery from historical sites, such as inside the Colosseum in Rome.

If you want a quick tour of the Colosseum check out this animated pan of the arena in Street View.


The Colosseum

Other highlights in Italy include: the birthplace of Rome, the Palatine Hill, the Appian Way, the Thermae (Baths) of Diocletian and the Ponte Vecchio in Florence.

In France you can visit the beautiful château of Fontainebleau.

Via: Google LatLong

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Google Maps Lottery

Million Mole

Hers's how to win money with Google Maps or lose lots of money trying.

Last year GeoSweep launched in the UK. Geosweep is a Google Maps based lottery game, where players can buy locations on Google Maps. These virtual plots are then entered into two daily cash prize draws.

Million Mole is a similar concept from Italy, however, instead of buying plots you pay to capture one of 1,000 moles hidden on a Google Map. My Italian isn't good enough to work out all the cash prizes available but the current jackpot seems to be just over one thousand Euros.

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The Italian Weather on Google Maps

Meteosmit

Meteosmit is a nice weather Google Map for Italy that displays the latest weather forecasts.

The initial view of the map gives an overall view of current conditions across the country but it is possible to select a region to zoom in and get a more localised forecast.

Above the map is a slider control that allows you to get forecasts for the next few days. Below the map you can select to view the temperature, wind speed and directions and air pressure.

Mapperz informs me that there is some very clever stuff going on under the hood in Meteosmit with OpenLayers and PostGIS that help make the map work.

Via: Mapperz

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Using Google Maps Against Bottled Water

In Borraccia!
In Borraccia! is an Italian campaign to reduce the consumption of plastic water bottles. As part of its campaign In Borraccia! is promoting these three Google Maps that promote the use of tap water over bottled water.

Altreconomia

This Google Maps mashup shows restaurants in Italy that serve tap water so you don't have to pay for expensive bottled water.

The map includes quick links that help you zoom into different Italian regions. You can add the details of a restaurant that isn't already featured on the map.

Mappa Fontanelle

Mappa Fontanelle provides a Google Map of water fountains in Milan. The idea behind the map is that you will refill your water bottle rather than buy a new one.

The site includes a Street View option so you can even check out the look of the water fountains online.

CAP - Case dell'Acqua

In collaboration with local councils CAP are building facilities for the distribution of still and sparkling water via tap rather than by bottle. The facilities are being built in parks and green spaces.

This Google Map shows the location of CAP's 'water houses' in Milan.

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Italian Seismic Action on Google Maps

Sismicamente.com


This Google Maps mashup is designed as a useful tool for civil engineers in Italy. The map shows seismic hazards in Italy and the spectra response of seismic action.

Using the search form it is possible to find the spectrum of response and seismic hazard curves of each Italian municipality. When the map is zoomed in the circle map markers will reveal the spectra response at that location. The information window includes a link to also load a chart of the spectra response for the selected location.

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