Showing papers on "Weather station published in 1997"

Wireless weather station

Abstract: A wireless weather station for measuring a number of weather parameters over an extended time at a data collection location. The weather data can be transmitted to a remote location using substantially less total power than would be necessary to provide real time continuous transmission, yet provide the appearance of real time continuous transmission. A sensor assembly is positioned at the data collection location, powered by a battery that is recharged using a solar panel. A clock controlled microprocessing unit controls the data transducers to provide a data sampling rate and a data transmission interval. The data sampling rate for a parameter corresponds to the rate of change of the parameter. The microprocessor unit provides a plurality of data transmission intervals, with each of the data transmission intervals having a predetermined length of time corresponding to the power requirements of the sensor assembly and the current power status of the battery. In this manner, the data output that is provided to the remote receiving station appears to be real time continuous transmission but is actually delayed by the length of time of the data transmission interval. While the invention is particularly well suited for use with a weather station, it can also be used in any situation where power requirements need to be conserved and data needs to be transmitted to a remote location.

Temperature, snowmelt, and the onset of spring season landslides in the central Rocky Mountains

Abstract: Snow meltwater (snowmelt) that seeps into the subsurface is a major factor contributing to the development of landslides during the spring in mountainous areas of the Rocky Mountain region. An examination of historical temperature data in relation to spring season landslide occurrences reveals an association between the landslide events and intervals of rising temperatures that accelerate the production of snow meltwater. Historical climatic data recorded at local weather stations located near the landslide sites are used to show the association and to identify a temperature threshold that may be useful for forecasting the onset of spring season landslides. Historical daily temperature maximums and minimums for unmonitored landslide sites are estimated by applying an elevation correction factor to historical temperature data from nearby weather stations. The proposed temperature threshold (a 6-day moving average of daily maximum temperature of 58° F) is defined by the number and temporal distribution of snowmelt related landslide events. The results of the study suggest that real-time temperature data recorded at weather stations throughout the Rocky Mountain region is potentially a valuable source of information that may be useful for forecasting the onset of spring season landslides. INTRODUCTION Landslides triggered by snowmelt or a combination of snowmelt and rainfall are common during the spring in many mountainous areas of the Rocky Mountain region. Spring season landslides, especially debris flows (often referred to as "mudslides" in media news reports), are numerous in years with unusually heavy snowfall and associated deep snowpack. However, few details are known of the sequence, time, intensity, or duration of antecedent climatic conditions that trigger the slope failures. Such information may be useful for mitigation of landslide hazards and for forecasting the occurrence of landslides. For many years, climatic data, including daily temperature maximum and minimums and precipitation, have been collected at numerous local weather stations (weather observing sites) supervised by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/National Weather Service. I undertook this study to investigate the usefulness of this source of historical climatic data for identifying associations between antecedent climatic conditions and the onset of spring season landslides in mountainous areas of Colorado and other states in the Rocky Mountain region. METHODOLOGY AND DATA COMPILATION For this preliminary report, I have compiled information on 20 landslide events (associated with 18 landslides in the state of Colorado and one in Wyoming) that occurred during the spring in years between 1977 and 1996 . Landslide information was gathered from historical newspaper accounts provided by the Colorado Historical Society, technical reports, and from my recent personal field notes. February thru June issues of local newspapers were searched to obtain information on the earliest reported spring season landslide occurrences. The reports were found in April, May, and June issues of newspapers published in the Colorado mountain communities of Aspen, Dillon, Cortez, Steamboat Springs, Montrose, and Telluride. A reported landslide event was included in this study if it met the following criteria: (1) verifiable information on the location and date of occurrence was provided, (2) pertinent historical climate data from a nearby weather station, including daily temperature maximums and minimums, was available, and (3) based on available reports and climatic data, snowmelt appeared to be a major factor contributing to the occurrence of the landslide event. Information obtained in the search on individual landslide events, including brief descriptions, dates of occurrence, and sources of information, is presented in Table 1. Locations of the landslides are shown in Figure 1. During the fall of 1996, I visited the landslide sites, plotted their locations on topographic maps, and determined elevations. In this preliminary study, no effort was made to further determine details of the reported slope failures other than to verify the locations, elevations, and times of occurrence. In most cases, relatively small movements of a landslide mass, often indicated by the development of ground cracks or other surface manifestations, precede complete or catastrophic failure. For the purpose of this report, the date of landslide occurrence is defined as the date of complete or catastrophic failure as indicated by large amounts of movement or total disruption of the landslide mass. An exception to this are dates I have included for initial, spring season movements of a pre-existing landslide in Wyoming (landslide events No.1 and 2 in Table 1) that were detected using borehole instrumentation (Chleborad, 1980). For each of the landslide events listed in Table 1, I compiled historical daily precipitation and temperature data recorded at a local weather station. Factors that affect the representativeness of the data, such as topographic variations, were considered in the selection process. In most cases, data from the weather station closest to the landslide was selected as most representative. Locations, elevations, distances between weather stations and respective landslides, and differences in elevation between the stations and the landslides are given in Table 2. The climatological data was obtained from published reports of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (U.S. Dept. of Commerce, 1977-1996). Unpublished compilations of the raw climatological data and information on the location and elevation of weather observing sites were obtained from the Colorado Climate Center, Fort Collins, Colorado. REPRESENTATIVENESS OF THE CLIMATIC DATA The following discussion is based on a recent study of climatic data representativeness in western Colorado by Doesken and others (1990). The study was conducted for the Bureau of Land Management to evaluate to what extent weather stations provide representative climatic information for surrounding unmonitored areas. In the study, monthly and seasonal climate variability were described. It was found that precipitation is much more variable than temperature, and that the range of representativeness of local weather station data to surrounding areas is much less for precipitation than for temperature. Also, Doesken and others (1990) showed that there is a good relationship of mean monthly maximum temperatures with elevation. It is stated that during the summer the relationship is so good that you can typically determine the mean monthly maximum temperature to within +/-1 degree Fahrenheit simply by knowing the elevation. Elevation, however, is only a secondary control on minimum temperature, especially during the winter months. Relative cold air trapping and draining characteristics of a given site become the primary control on night time temperatures. A correlation analyses of mean growing season (May-September) temperatures vs. elevation indicated a decrease of 4.5° F per 1000 ft of elevation (r-squared =0.95). Also, correlation patterns developed in the study suggest areas in the same valley, regardless of their distance apart, are more likely to be well correlated than sites on the opposite sides of a mountain barrier. Likewise, stations far apart but with similar aspect relative to local terrain, may be better correlated. Table 1 . Locations, elevations, dates of occurrence, and descriptions of profiled spring season landslides, Colorado and Wyoming. LANDSLIDE EVENT NO. LOCATION/ ELEVATION DATE OF OCCURRENCE DESCRIPTION/SOURCE OF INFORMATION Approx. 7 mi. south of Sheridan, Wyoming; T. 54 N., R. 83 W.. NW 1/4 of SW 1/4 of Section 6/ 4460 ft. Inital movement in 1977 occurred between April 2nd and April 15th I conducted a detailed study of this pre-existing landslide 1977 and 1978. is a shallow translational slide/earthflow in weathered, Tertiary-age sedimentary deposits. Borehole inclinometer measurements revealed that initial movement in 1977 occurred sometime between April 2nd and April 15th, During that period, 1 to 2 m of drifted snow that covered the slide melted (Chleborad, 1980). do. Initial movement in 1978 occurred between March 24th and April 4th. Borehole inclinometer measurements made in 1978 indicate initial movement of the landslide described above occurred sometime between March 24, and April 4. On March 13th, 1978 the slide was covered with approximately 1.5 m of drifted snow. By April 4th all the snow had melted (Chleborad, 1980). CO Mesa Verde National Park, 9 miles ESE of Cortez, Colorado; T. 35 N., R. 14 W., S 1/2 of Sect. 5/ 7850 ft. April 18th or 19th, 1979 "A motorist yesterday [April 19th] used his CB to radio for help after being trapped by a slide on the entrance road [to Mesa Verde National Park," (Montezuma Valley Journal, 4/20/79, p. 1). April 29th, 1979 do. [Photo caption] "...A slide Sunday morning [April 29th] brought down an estimated 2,500 cubic yards of material which was cleared enough to open a lane [of the entrance road to Mesa Verde National Park]." (Montezuma Valley Journal, 5/2/79, p. 1). April 30th, 1979 do. [Photo caption] "On Monday morning [April 30th], a massive slide of an estimated 150,000 cubic yards sealed the road [entrance road to Mesa Verde National Park] again." (Montezuma Valley Journal, 5/2/79, p. 1). 1 Information in brackets has been added by the author for the purpose of clarification.

Atmospheric boundary-layer fluxes and structure across a land-sea transition zone in south-eastern africa

Abstract: The structure of the lower atmospheric boundary layeralong the southeastern escarpment of Africa duringNovember 1993 is investigated. The study region fallsin a transition zone between dry desert to the westand sub-humid vegetated areas bordering the AgulhasCurrent to the east. The physical environment isdescribed by in situ observations from aircraft and acoastal weather station; from satellite composites ofsea surface temperature, vegetation reflectance andcloud temperatures; and synoptic weather data.

Display system for remote weather conditions

Abstract: A display system for remote weather conditions includes a plurality of remote weather data collection stations and a base unit which polls the collection stations for the most recent weather data. Communication between the base unit and collection stations uses wireless signals on the same frequency. The base unit stores weather data from each station in a buffer from which display signals are provided to a broadcast television display. The base unit is operable to complete a polling cycle before the buffer for a given weather station is depleted of data.

Automated Weather Station Network

Abstract: An automated weather station network has been developed by the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences of the University of Georgia. Since 1991 more than 30 weather stations have been installed in mainly remote locations of the state of Georgia. A climatic data base is being developed that includes detailed rainfall, temperature, wind, solar radiation, and other variables. This information can be used as an environmental resource by managers and other decision makers.

Actual versus stated willingness to pay: a comment

Abstract: Offering evidence from the California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS) and centering around Kenkel and Norris conclusions regarding "Agricultural Producers' Willingness to Pay for Real-Time Mesoscale Weather Information," this article questions the use of growers' hypothetical willingness-to-pay responses as the sole basis for deciding whether to invest in Mesonet, a statewide network of weather station. Survey respondents' lack of familiarity with a new technology and strategic behavior lead to underestimates of actual willingness to pay. Moreover, weather information has numerous agricultural and nonagricultural uses, and only sampling growers overlooks gains to other potential users. Low hypothetical willingness-to-pay responses of a subsection of the potential adopters should necessarily discourage investment. Rather, a substantial willingness to pay may signal a need for further market research.

Meteorological Data for Water Years 1988-94 from Five Weather Stations at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

Abstract: This report describes meteorological data collected from five weather stations at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, from as early as April 1987 through September 1994. The measurements include solar radiation, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind vector magnitude, wind direction, wind vector direction, barometric pressure, and precipitation. Measurements were made very 10 seconds and averaged every 15 minutes. The data were collected as part of the geologic and hydrologic site-characterization studies of Yucca Mountain, a potential repository for high-level radioactive waste. Precipitation at the site ranged from a low of 12 millimeters total for water year 1989 to a high of 312 millimeters total for water year 1993. Air temperature ranged from a low of 15.1 degrees Celsius in December 1990 (water year 1991) to a high of 41.9 degrees Celsius in July 1989 (water year 1989). The weather station network also provides information on the spatial variability of precipitation and temperature.

PV Powering A Weather Station For Severe Weather

Abstract: A natural disaster, such as Hurricane Andrew, destroys thousands of homes and businesses. The destruction from this storm left thousands of people without communications, potable water, and electrical power. This prompted the Florida Solar Energy Center to study the application of solar electric power for use in disasters. During this same period, volunteers at the Tropical Prediction Center at the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Miami, Florida and the Miami Office of the National Weather Service (NWS) were working to increase the quantity and quality of observations received from home weather stations. Forecasters at NHC have found surface reports from home weather stations a valuable tool in determining the size, strength and course of hurricanes. Home weather stations appear able to record the required information with an adequate level of accuracy. Amateur radio, utilizing the Automatic Packet Report System, (APRS) can be used to transmit this data to weather service offices in virtually real time. Many weather data collecting stations are at remote sites which are not readily serviced by dependable commercial power. Photovoltaic (solar electric) modules generate electricity and when connected to a battery can operate as a stand alone power system. The integration of these components provides an inexpensivemore » standalone system. The system is easy to install, operates automatically and has good communication capabilities. This paper discusses the design criteria, operation, construction and deployment of a prototype solar powered weather station.« less

Functional linear models for functional responses

Abstract: The aim of Chapter 10 was to predict a scalar response y from a functional covariate x. We now consider a fully functional linear model in which both the response y and the covariate x are functions. For instance, in the Canadian weather example, we might wish to investigate to what extent we can predict the complete log precipitation profile LPrec of a weather station from information in its complete temperature profile Temp.