Backyard Weather 1

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Backyard Weather
Amateur Weather Observing for Dummies
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PresentersErik ProseusDanny PhelpsEddie
HolmesJonathan Howell
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What is Backyard Weather?

• Observing the environment - in your own
  micro-climate!
• Unofficial, but valuable, information collection
  and dissemination
• Accomplished with a wide range of equipment
• Satisfying and FUN!

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Why do it?

• For weather junkies and data hounds, it is the
  ultimate in weather participation
• To be used by others
• Weather enthusiasts
• National Weather Service
• Scientists doing research
• To give juvenile delinquents something to take
  target practice at
• To give neighbors something to talk about

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Ways to get involved

• Personal weather station
• Automated data distribution
• CoCoRaHS
• Daily precip reports
• NWS Cooperative Observer
• NWS equipment and daily observations

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CWOP

• Citizen Weather Observer Program
• Goals
• Collect weather data from citizens
• Make data available for weather services and
  homeland security
• Provide feedback to contributors on their data
  quality
• Over 5,000 CWOP members worldwide (approx. 3,500
  in U.S.)

http//www.wxqa.com
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CWOP data flow

• Data flows to findU servers via APRS-IS
  (Automatic Position Reporting System-Internet
  Service)
• findU servers send data to MADIS (Meteorological
  Assimilation Data Ingest System) every 15 minutes
  to become part of the NOAA mesonet dataset that
  can then be displayed on AWIPS at the NWS

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How to join CWOP

• Fill out an online registration form to be
  assigned a station number
• Set up commercially-available software to send
  data automatically
• Check to see that the data is flowing to the
  findU servers and confirm data quality
  periodically

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Personal Weather Stations

• Several companies produce reliable stations at a
  wide range of costs
• Davis Instruments
• La Crosse
• Oregon Scientific
• Rainwise
• Texas Weather Instruments
• Purchase from manufacturer websites, some retail
  outlets, or online weather companies
  (AmbientWeather.com)

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What to buy?

• What sensors are important to you?
• What parameters are logged, computed, and
  displayed or alarmed?
• How accurate and what update interval?
• Consider surrounding environment wired vs.
  wireless
• Upgrade-ability and maintainability
• Manufacturer/dealer support
• Cost and value for money
• Accompanying software

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How much?

• Basic instrumentation, cabled stations start as
  low as 120-150
• Davis wireless model with extra features/
  accessories can run upwards of 1,000
• High-end Texas Weather Instruments stations can
  be over 2,000
• Software is included with many systems, but might
  consider off-the-shelf packages with more features

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I want to spend more!

• Lightning detectors (Boltek)
• Accessories (solar radiation, UV, leaf wetness,
  temp probes, auxiliary stations)
• Upgraded software
• Weatherproof web cams
• X2 integration (connect to home systems heat,
  A/C, sprinklers, etc.)

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Instrumentation(a few examples)

• For beginners or serious hobbyists

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Davis Vantage Pro 2
Sensors and Console
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Davis Vantage Pro 2
Eriks Station Setup
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Davis Vantage Pro 2
FedEx MEM Hub
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Davis Vantage Pro 2
FedEx IND Hub
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FedEx Intranet
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Davis Weather Monitor II
Sensors and Console
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Davis Weather Monitor II
Eddies Station Setup
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Davis Weather Monitor II
Eddies Station Setup
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LaCrosse WS-2310
Sensors and Base
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LaCrosse WS-2310
Dannys Station Setup
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Texas Weather Instruments WR-25
Sensors and Console
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Texas Weather Instruments WR-25
Rustys Station Setup
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Software

• For processing and transmitting data

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Virtual Weather Station
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VWSaprs
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WeatherLink
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Weather Display
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Weather Display Live
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WeatherView 32
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WeatherView 32
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More on Mesonets and Benefits of Contributing to
a Mesonet
Jonathan Howell NWS-Memphis
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Other ways to contribute

• CoCoRaHS Community Collaborative Rain, Hail
  Snow Network (cocorahs.org)
• Volunteer network of precipitation observers
• West TN Coordinator Zwemer Ingram (NWS-MEG)
• Obtain a certified rain gauge, take daily precip
  observations, submit via web
• Used for natural resource, education, research,
  and operational purposes

http//www.cocorahs.org
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Other ways to contribute

• NWS Cooperative Observer Program
• Record temps, precip, and other data daily and
  send to NWS local office
• All equipment provided and maintained by the NWS,
  as well as training
• More than 11,000 volunteers across the U.S.
• Local oversight provided by Zwemer Ingram

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Germantown, TN Co-Op Station
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Co-op Requirements

• Dedication to public service
• Attention to detail
• Ability to learn and perform daily duties
• Willingness to allow NWS to place instrumentation
  on your property
• Willingness to allow at least one visit per year
  by NWS
• PC and internet access optional

http//www.weather.gov/om/coop/
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Where can the general public find backyard
weather data?

• Weather Underground
• www.wunderground.com
• CWOP/APRS
• FindU, www.findu.com
• CWOP, www.wxqa.com
• MADIS, http//www-frd.fsl.noaa.gov/mesonet/
• MesoWest, http//www.met.utah.edu/mesowest/
• Texas AM, http//mesonet.tamu.edu
• WeatherForYou.com
• Individual weather websites

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Are you ready

• To contribute to our meteorological community?
• To brave the elements for a rainfall total?
• To learn something new?
• To have a lot of FUN observing the weather??

JOIN US TODAY!