| DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES AND STATION INFORMATION | ||||||||||||||||||
| I. | TABLE OF CONTENTS | |||||||||||||||||
| I. | Table of Contents | |||||||||||||||||
| II. | Overview | |||||||||||||||||
| III. | Station Information | |||||||||||||||||
| a. | Location | |||||||||||||||||
| b. | Variable Collection | |||||||||||||||||
| IV. | Collection Procedures | |||||||||||||||||
| a. | Instrumentation | |||||||||||||||||
| b. | Collection Protocols | |||||||||||||||||
| V. | Collection Changes | |||||||||||||||||
| a. | Changes in Variables Collected | |||||||||||||||||
| b. | Collection Time Changes | |||||||||||||||||
| c. | Spatial Instrument Changes | |||||||||||||||||
| d. | Changes in Instrumentation | |||||||||||||||||
| e. | Data Collector | |||||||||||||||||
| VI | Collection Problems and Solutions | |||||||||||||||||
| II. | OVERVIEW | |||||||||||||||||
| Since I was a small child I have always been interested in weather and climate. Although I have been observant since a child, | ||||||||||||||||||
| I did not start seriously collecting data until my early college years. For (8) years now I have been an amateur weather observer | ||||||||||||||||||
| in South Surrey, Canada. During these (8) years there have been notable changes in various aspects of the collection process. | ||||||||||||||||||
| This document outlines the changes that have occurred. | ||||||||||||||||||
| III. | STATION INFORMATION | |||||||||||||||||
| A. | Station Location: | 14944 21st Avenue | ||||||||||||||||
| Surrey, BC, Canada | ||||||||||||||||||
| B. | Variable Collection | |||||||||||||||||
| Air Temperature: | ||||||||||||||||||
| a) | Current | |||||||||||||||||
| b) | Daily Maximum and Daily Minimum | |||||||||||||||||
| Precipitation: | ||||||||||||||||||
| a) | Daily Total Precipitation | |||||||||||||||||
| b) | Daily Snow Total | |||||||||||||||||
| c) | Form of Precipitation ie Snow, FZ Rain | |||||||||||||||||
| d) | Total Rain Days, Snow Days, TStorm Days | |||||||||||||||||
| Wind: | ||||||||||||||||||
| a) | Daily Maximum Velocity and Direction | |||||||||||||||||
| b) | Current Velocity and Direction | |||||||||||||||||
| Sky Conditions: | ||||||||||||||||||
| a) | Amount and Cloud Cover Type | |||||||||||||||||
| Current Conditions: | ||||||||||||||||||
| a) | Current weather conditions | |||||||||||||||||
| Air Pressure: | ||||||||||||||||||
| a) | Current Sea Level Air Pressure | |||||||||||||||||
| Other: | ||||||||||||||||||
| a) | Last and First Frosts of the Year | |||||||||||||||||
| b) | Last and First Freezes of the Yea | |||||||||||||||||
| c) | First Blossoms on Plants and Trees | |||||||||||||||||
| IV. | COLLECTION PROCEDURES | |||||||||||||||||
| A. | Instrumentation with Error | |||||||||||||||||
| Air Temperature: | ||||||||||||||||||
| a) | Davis Weather Wizard III Thermocouple with inverted aluminum foil dish shield. [(+/-)0.5*C] | |||||||||||||||||
| b) | Mercury Max/Min Thermometer [(+/-)0.5*C) | |||||||||||||||||
| c) | Alcohol Thermometer [(+/-)0.5*C)] | |||||||||||||||||
| Precipitation: | ||||||||||||||||||
| a) | Davis Weather Wizard III Tipping Rain Gauge [(+/-)2%)] | |||||||||||||||||
| b) | Suncrest Rain Collector [(+/-)0.5mm] | |||||||||||||||||
| c) | Non-Standard Rain Collector [(+/-)1mm)] | |||||||||||||||||
| d) | Bucket to collect snow | |||||||||||||||||
| Wind: | ||||||||||||||||||
| a) | Davis Weather Wizard III Anemometer [(+/-)5%]- Velocity [(+/-)7*] Azimuth | |||||||||||||||||
| b) | Beaufort Scale [(+/-)5 km/h) | |||||||||||||||||
| Air Pressure: | ||||||||||||||||||
| a) | Standard Aneroid Barometer [(+/-)0.25 kPa) | |||||||||||||||||
| B. | Collection Protocols | |||||||||||||||||
| Air Temperature: | ||||||||||||||||||
| a) | Current 2X Daily (830,2200) | |||||||||||||||||
| b) | Max/Min 1X Daily (2200) | |||||||||||||||||
| Precipitation: | ||||||||||||||||||
| a) | Daily Total 1X Daily (2200) | |||||||||||||||||
| Wind: | ||||||||||||||||||
| a) | Current 2X Daily (830,2200) | |||||||||||||||||
| b) | Daily Max Gust 1X Daily (2200) | |||||||||||||||||
| Air Pressure: | ||||||||||||||||||
| a) | Current 2X Daily (830,2200) | |||||||||||||||||
| Sky Conditions: | ||||||||||||||||||
| a) | Current 2X Daily (830,2200) | |||||||||||||||||
| Daily Weather Events: | ||||||||||||||||||
| a) | 1X Daily (2200) | |||||||||||||||||
| V. | COLLECTION CHANGES | |||||||||||||||||
| A. | Changes in Variables Collected and Instruments | |||||||||||||||||
| (2002.04.30) | Aneometer readings cease | |||||||||||||||||
| (2001.07.22) | Installation of continuous monitoring software of all wind, precipitation and air temperature values | |||||||||||||||||
| (2000.07.07) | Replacement of Current Conditions with Daily Weather Conditions(1X Daily) | |||||||||||||||||
| (2000.06.12) | Current Air Temperature Readings Cease | |||||||||||||||||
| (2000.05.15) | Daily Air Pressure and Trend Readings Cease | |||||||||||||||||
| (1999.12.06) | Added Air Pressure Trend Reading | |||||||||||||||||
| (1999.04.23) | Replace Symbol Current Conditions with Written Current Obsrvs. | |||||||||||||||||
| (1999.02.19) | Upper Air Flow Conditions are Removed | |||||||||||||||||
| (1999.01.21) | Anemometer Recordings of All Daily Wind Gusts | |||||||||||||||||
| (1999.01.01) | Current Air Temperature Readings Removed | |||||||||||||||||
| (1997.12.03) | Replace Current Conditions From Written to Symbol | |||||||||||||||||
| (1997.09.30) | Davis Rain Tip Bucket Replaces Suncrest Rain Collector | |||||||||||||||||
| (1997.09.21) | Commencement of Upper Air Flow Conditions (1X Daily 630)-internet Observation | |||||||||||||||||
| (1997.09.07) | Anemometer replaces Beaufort Scale, Anemometer records only Gusts > 20 Km/h | |||||||||||||||||
| (1997.09.05) | Davis Thermocouple Replaces Mercury Max/Min Thermometer | |||||||||||||||||
| (1996.09.01) | Mercury Max/Min Thermometer Introduced | |||||||||||||||||
| (1996.08.31) | Suncrest Rain Collector Replaces Aluminum Bean Can | |||||||||||||||||
| (1996.01.30) | Daily Morning Air Temperature Recording (830) | |||||||||||||||||
| (1996.01.01) | Wind Speed and Direction Measurements with Beaufort Scale Commence | |||||||||||||||||
| (1995.03.27) | Observations Commence, Readings include: sky conditions, cloud type and amount, air pressure, total daily precipitation | |||||||||||||||||
| B. | Changes in Time of Collection | |||||||||||||||||
| (2001.07.22) | Continuous Monitoring(wind,temperature and precipitation) | |||||||||||||||||
| (2000.06.05) | Collection of Data 1X Daily (2200) | |||||||||||||||||
| (1995.03.27) | Collection of Data 2X Daily (830,2200) | |||||||||||||||||
| C. | Spatial Instrument Changes | |||||||||||||||||
| (2002.05.12) | Movement of Station to new location in S.Surrey approx 1.5km westward. Station is in an opening within a treed urban location | |||||||||||||||||
| (1999.09.15) | Movement of Thermocouple From Near House Entrance to Same Locale as Rain Bucket, approx. 2.2 m from house | |||||||||||||||||
| and hidden behind bush on Westside. Bush casts shadow in late afternoon. Thermocouple is protected by an Aluminum foil cover. | ||||||||||||||||||
| (1997.09.30) | Davis Tip Bucket is Placed on North-Side of House approx. 2.0 m from 2.5 m high roof. | |||||||||||||||||
| (1997.09.06) | Anemometer Placed on Roof Crest of House, approx 1.5 m above roof. | |||||||||||||||||
| (1997.09.05) | Davis Thermocouple replaces Mercury Max/Min Thermometer. The thermocouple is Protected by Aluminum Foil. It is located on | |||||||||||||||||
| the north-side of the House at the Entrance. Approx. 2m from garage and 2m above ground. | ||||||||||||||||||
| (1996.09.01) | Max/Min Thermometer Place approx. 15m from house in backyard. The thermometer is placed on | |||||||||||||||||
| wall, ~ 1.5m above ground on the outside tool shed. | ||||||||||||||||||
| (1996.08.31) | Suncrest Rain Collector replaces aluminum can. It is placed on the south-side of house on a post near the patio (1.5m high). | |||||||||||||||||
| (1996.01.30) | Current Air Temperature on East Facing side of house taken. Thermometer is unprotected from direct radiation. | |||||||||||||||||
| (1995.03.27) | Rain Catcher placed on South-side of house on ground on open patio. | |||||||||||||||||
| D. | Data Collector Changes | |||||||||||||||||
| (2001.07.22) | Mark Jurca | |||||||||||||||||
| (2000.09.03) | Alojz and Mark Jurca | |||||||||||||||||
| (2000.08.18) | Mark Jurca | |||||||||||||||||
| (2000.06.11) | Alojz Jurca | |||||||||||||||||
| (2000.05.15) | Tania Jurca | |||||||||||||||||
| (1999.08.23) | Mark Jurca | |||||||||||||||||
| (1999.04.23) | Tania Jurca | |||||||||||||||||
| (1997.11.17) | Mark Jurca | |||||||||||||||||
| (1997.11.13) | Tania Jurca | |||||||||||||||||
| (1997.06.17) | Mark Jurca | |||||||||||||||||
| (1997.06.12) | Tania Jurca | |||||||||||||||||
| (1996.08.27) | Mark Jurca | |||||||||||||||||
| (1996.08.16) | Alistair Hadden | |||||||||||||||||
| (1995.03.27) | Mark Jurca | |||||||||||||||||
| VI. | DATA COLLECTION PROBLEMS | |||||||||||||||||
| A. | Precipitation: | |||||||||||||||||
| a) | Davis Tip Bucket | Possible undercatch during heavy winds(S)and times of vegetation overgrowth(rare). | ||||||||||||||||
| Over reading during heavy rains that cause "bouncing" effect in the bucket reader | ||||||||||||||||||
| b) | Suncrest Collector | Undercatch due to strong winds. | ||||||||||||||||
| c) | Aluminum Can | Undercatch due to summer evaporation. | ||||||||||||||||
| B. | Air Temperature: | |||||||||||||||||
| a) | Thermocouple | When it was close to the house, there was a possible rise in overnight T*C. As a result it was relocated | ||||||||||||||||
| to its present location (see Collection Changes). Problem again of radiational warming, as a result it was moved | ||||||||||||||||||
| into the shade of a bush and covered with aluminum foil cover. | ||||||||||||||||||
| b) | Mercury Max/Min | Possible late afternoon temp rise due to radiational heating. Problem only in late fall and early spring (leaf free periods). | ||||||||||||||||
| c) | Alcohol Thermometer | Rapid radiational warming in morning sun | ||||||||||||||||
| C. | Wind: | |||||||||||||||||
| a) | Aneometer | Under records peak gusts due to close proximity to roof and also perhaps due to fluid mechanics around an obstacle like a house. | ||||||||||||||||
| b) | Beaufort Scale | Subjective measurement of windspeed | ||||||||||||||||
| D. | Other: | |||||||||||||||||
| (2002.10.01) - | Tipping rainguage malfunction causing an under reading consistently when compared to other close proximity locations. | |||||||||||||||||
| (2003.03.05) | Situation compensated by taking weighted mean of 3 local stations to reconstruct the precipitation for my location. | |||||||||||||||||
| (1999.06.07) | Torrential downpour and thunderstorm. During this period all of my electronic measuring devices froze. Reason: Extensive | |||||||||||||||||
| static buildup on the exterior wiring. The static buildup likely overloaded the circuitry. As a result only estimates are available | ||||||||||||||||||
| for this extreme precipitation event | ||||||||||||||||||
| Note: If you would like to see any data please contact me by email or in person. | ||||||||||||||||||