Chap. 2Meteorological Measurements

Be aware of time zones and relation between local and universal time

ASOS Instruments

ASOS locations

Buoys provide important surface measurements over oceans.Especially important for west coast weather and hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico

Rawinsondes are used to measure wind, temperature, and moisture above the surface

New GPS technology

Rawinsonde locations

Same sounding on a skew-T diagram

http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather/upper/

Radar: the Weather Surveillance Radar 1988 Doppler(WSR-88D)

A Doppler radar measures:a) Reflectivity factorb) Doppler velocity

Doppler radar measurements of a supercell stormReflectivity factor, topDoppler velocity, bottom

Radars can provide real-time rainfall accumulations

Combined IR satellite image and Dual Doppler radar analysis

Radar wind profiler, NOAA 404 MHz system

http://www.profiler.noaa.gov/npn/

Wind profiler locations

Example of a profiler wind product: time vs. height section of wind

For more information: http://www.profiler.noaa.gov/npn/index.jsp

GOES satellitePolar orbiting satellite

ACARS – commercial aircraft supply weather data http://www.fsl.noaa.gov/

http://www.weathertap.com

Lightning is becoming a more common forecast product. Total vs. CG

Local measurements• Doppler radar with dual polarization (measurements

of internal flows within storms, clear air wind, distribution of rainfall)

• Doppler wind profiler (vertical profiles of wind and reflectivity)– 915 MHz boundary layer wind profiler– Doppler sodar

• Microwave profiling radiometer (vertical profiles of T and moisture)

• Lidar ceilometer (vertical profiles of aerosols, cloud base height)

• Surface measurementshttp://vortex.nsstc.uah.edu/mips/data/current/surface/