meteorological instruments and their uses pdf

Other available sensors can measure soil moisture, soil temperature, and leaf wetness. These sensors can vary between models but most measure wind speed, wind direction, outdoor and indoor temperatures, outdoor and indoor humidity, barometric pressure, rainfall, and UV or solar radiation. Personal weather stations have become more advanced and can include many different sensors to measure weather conditions. Automatic transmission of data, in a format such as METAR, is also desirable as many weather station's data is required for weather forecasting.Ī personal weather station is a set of weather measuring instruments operated by a private individual, club, association, or business (where obtaining and distributing weather data is not a part of the entity's business operation). The instrumentation may be specialized to allow for periodic recording otherwise significant manual labour is required for record keeping. More sophisticated stations may also measure the ultraviolet index, leaf wetness, soil moisture, soil temperature, water temperature in ponds, lakes, creeks, or rivers, and occasionally other data.Įxcept for those instruments requiring direct exposure to the elements (anemometer, rain gauge), the instruments should be sheltered in a vented box, usually a Stevenson screen, to keep direct sunlight off the thermometer and wind off the hygrometer. Transmissometer for measuring visibility.Disdrometer for measuring drop size distribution.Present weather sensor Present Weather/Precipitation Identification Sensor for identifying falling precipitation.In addition, at certain automated airport weather stations, additional instruments may be employed, including:

Wind vane, also called a weather vane or a weathercock: it shows which way the wind is blowing.Wind sock for measuring general wind speed and wind direction.Rain gauge for measuring liquid precipitation over a set period of time.

Pyranometer for measuring solar radiation.

Barometer for measuring atmospheric pressure.

Thermometer for measuring air and sea surface temperature.

Typical weather stations have the following instruments: Further information: List of weather instruments

Meteorological instruments and their uses pdf