ADOT North Slope Bullen Point Weather Station Network
Data Measurement and Recording Standards
Last Update: 5/16/06
Last Update By: John Gallagher
Data-Collection Objectives: Meteorological data to support hydrological analysis for
transportation network planning and design; current weather conditions to support National
Weather Service forecasting for northern Alaska; Arctic climate monitoring.
Time Recording Standard: Always Alaska Standard Time (UTC – 9).
Datalogger Scan Interval Standard: Five seconds.
Time Measurement Standards:
- Hourly readings are recorded at the end of the hour, so hourly average air temperature
for 14:00 with a 5-second scan interval is measured from 13:00:05 to 14:00:00, so for
a 5-second scan interval, there would be [(60 sec/min)/(5 sec)]*60 min = 720 values to
go into the hourly average.
- 2-minute readings are started at the top of the hour and restart every two minutes, so
the 2-minute average wind speed for 14:08 is from pulses between 14:06:05 and
14:08:00.
- Instantaneous readings are taken at the time specified.
- A day begins at midnight (00:00:05) and ends at midnight (00:00:00).
Data Retrieval Interval: All new data is retrieved every 60 minutes.
Data Post-Processing Interval: Hourly, any post-processing of data is done after retrieval.
Data Reporting Interval: Hourly.
Full Weather Stations
Air Temperature (AT)
Sensor: HPM45C Vaisala AT/RH sensor
Operating Range: -40°C to +60°C
Installation: In 12-gill radiation shield, non-aspirated.
Height: 2 meters
Output Units: deg C
Scan Interval: 10 seconds
Hourly “Current” Air Temperature: Recorded at the end of each hour; an average of all the
readings from the past 5 minutes.
Average Hourly Air Temperature: 360 readings from the beginning of the hour to the end of
the hour, averaged and recorded at the end of the hour.
Hourly Maximum Air Temperature: the highest reading taken during the previous hour.
Hourly Minimum Air Temperature: the lowest reading taken during the previous hour.
Daily Average Air Temperature: Average of all temperature readings for the day ending at
midnight AST.
Daily Maximum Air Temperature: the highest reading taken during the day.
Daily Minimum Air Temperature: the lowest reading taken during the day.
Relative Humidity (RH)
Sensor: HPM45C Vaisala AT/RH sensor
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Operating Range: 0 to 100% RH
Installation: In 12-gill radiation shield, non-aspirated.
Height: 2 meters
Output Units: % Relative Humidity
Scan Interval: 10 seconds
Hourly “Current” Relative Humidity: Recorded at the end of each hour; an average of all the
readings from the past 5 minutes.
Average Hourly Relative Humidity: 360 readings from the beginning of the hour to the end of
the hour, averaged and recorded at the end of the hour.
Hourly Maximum Relative Humidity: the highest reading taken during the previous hour.
Hourly Minimum Relative Humidity: the lowest reading taken during the previous hour.
Daily Average Relative Humidity: Average of all RH readings taken during the day.
SUGGEST OMITTING DAILY AVG BECAUSE TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
OF RH MAKES THIS MEANINGLESS OVER THIS LONG OF A TIME PERIOD
Daily Maximum Relative Humidity: the highest reading taken during the day.
Daily Minimum Relative Humidity: the lowest reading taken during the day.
Saturation Vapor Pressure (SVP) SUGGEST OMITTING
Sensor: Calculated value from AT/RH
Scan Interval: na
Instantaneous Hourly Saturation Vapor Pressure: Recorded at the beginning of the hour
Vapor Pressure (VP) SUGGEST OMITTING
Sensor: Calculated value from AT/RH
Scan Interval: na
Instantaneous Hourly Vapor Pressure: Recorded at the beginning of the hour
Dew Point Temperature (DP)
Sensor: Calculated value from AT/RH
Scan Interval: na
Hourly Dew Point: Recorded at the end of the hour from the “current” (5-min average)
temperature and RH readings.
Backup Air Temperature (ATB1, ATB2, ATB3)
Sensor: (3) YSI Series 44033 Thermistors
Operating Range: -80°C to +75°C
Installation: In 12-gill radiation shield, non-aspirated.
Height: 2 meters
Output Units: deg C
Scan Interval: 10 seconds
Hourly “Current” Air Temperature: Recorded at the end of each hour; an average of all the
readings from the past 5 minutes.
Average Hourly Air Temperature: 360 readings from the beginning of the hour to the end of
the hour, averaged and recorded at the end of the hour.
Daily Average Air Temperature: Average of all temperature readings for the day ending at
midnight AST.
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Daily Maximum Air Temperature: the highest reading taken during the day.
Daily Minimum Air Temperature: the lowest reading taken during the day.
Wind Speed (WS)
Sensor: RM Young 05103 Anemometer
Operating Range: 0 to 60 m/s (0 to 134 mph)
Starting Threshold: 1 m/s (2.2 mph).
Installation: 30 m from nearest obstruction.
Height: 3 meters
Output Units: meters per second.
Scan Interval: 5 seconds
Recording Interval: 2-minute data and hourly data are recorded, data saved in 2 different
storage areas. SUGGEST SAVING DATA AT TOP OF HOUR ONLY, WITH 2MINUTE WIND BEING AVERAGE OVER LAST TWO MINUTES OF HOUR
Instantaneous Wind Speed: the 5-second wind speed sampled at the top of each hour.
Average Wind Speed: the average of all 5-second wind speeds during the reporting intervals
of 2 minutes and 60 minutes.
Peak Wind Speed: the highest recorded 5-second wind observation from the past hour,
recorded at the end of the hour (max wind).
Daily Average Wind Speed: the daily average of all 5-second wind speeds.
Daily Peak Wind Speed: the highest recorded 5-sec wind speed for the day.
Wind Direction (WD)
Sensor: RM Young 05103 Anemometer
Operating Range: 0 to 360 deg (mechanical) True North (0 to 355 electrical, 5 deg open)
Starting Threshold: 1.1 m/s (2.2 mph) 10 deg displacement.
Installation: Align True North.
Height: 3 meters
Output Units: degrees true north.
Scan Interval: 5 second
Recording Interval: 2-minute data and hourly data are recorded, data saved in 2 different
storage areas. SUGGEST SAVING DATA AT TOP OF HOUR ONLY, WITH 2MINUTE WIND BEING AVERAGE OVER LAST TWO MINUTES OF HOUR
Instantaneous Wind Direction: wind direction sample at the top of the hour.
Vector Mean Wind Direction: the unit vector mean of all 5-second wind directions for the
recording period. For example during a 2-minute recording period this will be the mean of 24
five-second wind directions.
Daily Wind Direction: Vector mean of all wind direction readings for the day.
Wind Direction Standard Deviation (WDSTD)
Sensor: Calculated
Scan Interval: 5 second
Recording Interval: 2-minute data and hourly data are recorded, data saved in 2 different
storage areas. SUGGEST OMITTING 2-MINUTE STD DUE TO LACK OF
OPERATIONAL USE
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Standard Deviation of Wind Direction: the standard deviation (computed by the datalogger)
of the wind direction over the recording period.
Snow Depth (SD)
Sensor: SR50 Snow Depth
Operating Range: 0.5 to 10 meters (or sensor height, if less than 10 m)
Resolution: 0.1 mm
Installation: Point straight down on a flat surface.
Height: 2 meters
Output Units: cm, corrected for air temperature
Scan Interval: 1 minute
Recording Interval: Hourly average and daily average snow depth, calculated using HMP45C
AT for temperature correction. (Throw out zero values for distance to target.)
Summer Precipitation (P)
Sensor: TE525WS
Resolution: 0.01 in
Installation: use wind shield, locate 30 m from nearest obstruction.
Height: 0.5 meters
Output Units: inches
Scan Interval: 1 minute
Recording Interval: Hourly total taken at the end of the hour; increase output to every minute
while precipitation is occurring; daily total precipitation.
Net Radiation (Rn)
Sensor: Kipp and Zonen NR-Lite
Installation: orient to south to minimize shadow effect from tripod
Height: 2 meters
Output Units: W/m2, corrected for wind speed.
Scan Interval: 1 minute
Recording Interval: Hourly average of all 60 readings recorded at the end of the hour.
Barometric Pressure Sensor (Pb)
Sensor: CS105, Vaisala
Installation: inside the datalogger enclosure.
Height: about 1.5 m
Output Units: hPa (mb).
Scan Interval: 10 seconds
“Current” Station Pressure: Average of readings from past minute (6 readings) reported at top
of hour.
Soil Temperature (ST1,ST2)
Sensor: YSI Series 44033 Thermistor
Depths: 1cm (surface), 2 thermistors (2 reps)
Output Units: k, °C.
Scan Interval: Hourly
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Recording Interval: Hourly Instantaneous taken at the top of the hour.
Soil Temperature Profile (STP1,STPn,..,STP12)
Sensor: YSI Series 44033 Thermistor
Installation: In back-filled bored hole
Depths: xx, xx, xx cm, 1-12 thermistors (based on actual depth of bored drill hole)
Output Units: k, °C.
Scan Interval: Hourly
Recording Interval: Hourly Instantaneous taken at the top of the hour.
Soil Moisture Profile (SM1,SM2,SM3)
Sensor: CSI 616 Unfrozen Soil-Moisture Probe
Installation: horizontal orientation in back-filled hole
Depths: xxx, xxx, xxx cm
Output Units: s, volumetric soil water content.
Scan Interval: Hourly
Recording Interval: Hourly Instantaneous taken at the top of the hour.
CR1000 Battery Voltage (BV)
Sensor: CR1000
Output Units: V.
Scan Interval: 1 minute
Recording Interval: Hourly average.
CR1000 Solar Panel Voltage (SPV1)
Sensor: GWS Wiring Harness, CR1000
Output Units: V.
Scan Interval: 1 minute
Recording Interval: Hourly average.
Battery Box Temperature (BBT1, BBT2)
Sensor: (2) YSI Series 44033 Thermistors (2 reps)
Output Units: k, °C.
Scan Interval: Hourly
Recording Interval: Hourly instantaneous.
Datalogger (CR1000) Panel Temperature (PT)
Sensor: CR1000 Internal thermistor
Output Units: °C.
Scan Interval: 1 minute
Recording Interval: Hourly average.
Resulting Final Storage Data Tables:
Table One: Diagnostics
Hourly: BV(avg), SPV1(avg), BBT1(smp), BBT2(smp), PT(avg)
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Table Two: Above Ground
Hourly Instantaneous or “Current” (see above sections): AT, RH, DP, ATB1,
ATB2, ATB3, WS, WD, Pb
Hourly Average and Extreme Values: AT(avg), AT(max), AT(min), RH(avg),
RH(max), RH(min), ATB1(avg), ATB2(avg), ATB3(avg), WS(avg), PkWnd,
WD(vector mean), WDSTD, P(total), Rn(avg), SD(avg)
Table Three: Subsurface
Hourly Instantaneous: ST1, ST2, STP1, STP2,…,STP12, SM1, SM2, SM3
Table Four: 2-Minute OMIT? CAN REPORT 2-MIN WIND IN HRLY TABLE
WS, WD, WDSTD, GS
Table Five: Daily
AT(avg), AT(max), AT(min), ATB1(avg), ATB1(max), ATB1(min),
ATB2(avg), ATB2(max), ATB2(min), ATB3(avg), ATB3(max), ATB3(min),
RH(max), RH(min), WS(avg), PkWnd, WD(vector mean), P(total), SD(avg)
Repeater Stations
Air Temperature (AT)
Sensor: HPM45C Vaisala AT/RH sensor
Operating Range: -40°C to +60°C
Installation: In 12-gill radiation shield, non-aspirated.
Height: 2 meters
Output Units: deg C
Scan Interval: 10 seconds
Hourly “Current” Air Temperature: Recorded at the end of each hour; an average of all the
readings from the past 5 minutes.
Average Hourly Air Temperature: 360 readings from the beginning of the hour to the end of
the hour, averaged and recorded at the end of the hour.
Hourly Maximum Air Temperature: the highest reading taken during the previous hour.
Hourly Minimum Air Temperature: the lowest reading taken during the previous hour.
Daily Average Air Temperature: Average of all temperature readings for the day ending at
midnight AST.
Daily Maximum Air Temperature: the highest reading taken during the day.
Daily Minimum Air Temperature: the lowest reading taken during the day.
Relative Humidity (RH)
Sensor: HPM45C Vaisala AT/RH sensor
Operating Range: 0 to 100% RH
Installation: In 12-gill radiation shield, non-aspirated.
Height: 2 meters
Output Units: % Relative Humidity
Scan Interval: 10 seconds
Hourly “Current” Relative Humidity: Recorded at the end of each hour; an average of all the
readings from the past 5 minutes.
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Average Hourly Relative Humidity: 360 readings from the beginning of the hour to the end of
the hour, averaged and recorded at the end of the hour.
Hourly Maximum Relative Humidity: the highest reading taken during the previous hour.
Hourly Minimum Relative Humidity: the lowest reading taken during the previous hour.
Daily Average Relative Humidity: Average of all RH readings taken during the day.
SUGGEST OMITTING DAILY AVG BECAUSE TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
OF RH MAKES THIS MEANINGLESS OVER THIS LONG OF A TIME PERIOD
Daily Maximum Relative Humidity: the highest reading taken during the day.
Daily Minimum Relative Humidity: the lowest reading taken during the day.
Saturation Vapor Pressure (SVP) SUGGEST OMITTING
Sensor: Calculated value from AT/RH
Scan Interval: na
Instantaneous Hourly Saturation Vapor Pressure: Recorded at the beginning of the hour
Vapor Pressure (VP) SUGGEST OMITTING
Sensor: Calculated value from AT/RH
Scan Interval: na
Instantaneous Hourly Vapor Pressure: Recorded at the beginning of the hour
Dew Point Temperature (DP)
Sensor: Calculated value from AT/RH
Scan Interval: na
Hourly Dew Point: Recorded at the end of the hour from the “current” (5-min average)
temperature and RH readings.
CR1000 Battery Voltage (BV)
Sensor: CR1000
Output Units: V.
Scan Interval: 1 minute
Recording Interval: Hourly average.
CR1000 Solar Panel Voltage (SPV1)
Sensor: GWS Wiring Harness, CR1000
Output Units: V.
Scan Interval: 1 minute
Recording Interval: Hourly average.
Datalogger (CR1000) Panel Temperature (PT)
Sensor: CR1000 Internal thermistor
Output Units: °C.
Scan Interval: 1 minute
Recording Interval: Hourly average.
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FTP Data Site Table:
Date/Time,Temp,DWPT,Wind,PkWnd,RH
Where, Temp is current temperature in degrees F, DWPT is Dew Point temperature in degrees
F, Wind is wind direction and speed in tenths of degrees and miles per hour, PkWnd is highest
wind speed for time period using same format for wind, RH is relative humidity as a percent.
Definitions:
Scan interval = sampling duration = scan rate
Time of maximum or minimum values is not recorded
Sample reading = instantaneous reading
Beginning of the hour = top of the hour
Digital Measurement Examples:
Wind Speed = pulses are averaged at a high rate and measured in cycles per second, hertz.
Tipping Bucket Precipitation = pulses are summed over the scanned interval and then totaled
for a reporting period.
Analog Measurement Examples:
Soil Temperatures = a resistance is measured.
Abbreviations:
AT
Air Temperature
Avg##
Average Value for Parameter over measurement period
BBT#
Battery Box Temperature
BV
Battery Voltage
DP
Dew Point
GS
Gust Speed
Max##
Maximum Value for Parameter over measurement period
Min##
Minimum Value for Parameter over measurement period
P
Summer Precipitation
Pb
Barometric Pressure
PT
Panel Temperature
RH
Relative Humidity
Rn
Net Radiation
SD
Snow Depth
SM#
Soil Moisture Profile
SMP
Sample (instantaneous reading)
SPV1
Solar Panel Voltage
ST1
Soil Temperature 1, 1 cm depth
ST2
Soil Temperature 2, 1 cm depth
STP##
Soil Temperature Profile 1-12 thermistors
SVP
Saturated Vapor Pressure
VP
Vapor Pressure
WD
Wind Direction
WDSTD
Wind Direction Standard Deviation
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WS
Wind Speed
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