How not to measure temperature, part37

The National Weather Service office in San Diego, CA operates a cooperative observer network of weather stations, as do all NWS offices. The station in Coronado, CA, is particularly interesting since it is located on the roof of the Fire Station there.

Given that the MMTS sensor shown below is only about 2 feet above the tar and pea gravel roof, which is known to be a hot environment during the day, and a source for re-radiated heat at night, you have to wonder: “What were they thinking?”

Photo Image
Photo from NWS San Diego, click photo for larger image

The NOAA’s credit, this station is not part of the USHCN climate station network, but still, of what possible value could an air temperature measurement just 2 feet off the rooftop be to anyone?

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6 Responses to How not to measure temperature, part37

  1. BarryW says:

    It looks like it’s siting on a metal plate!?

  2. Jeff says:

    Are you kidding? This is of immense importance to all San Diego roofers!

  3. Kunoichi says:

    It looks to me like it’s attached to a length of I beam.

    (darn sans serif fonts! That’s supposed to be an I (sounds like “eye”), but it looks like an l (sounds like “ell” *L*)

  4. r. chamness says:

    It should tell how hot the roof is but beyond that….
    As the sandwich place says, “Um..Um..Um…Toasty!”.

  5. Evan Jones says:

    Up on the Roof, Under the Boardwalk, Paved Paradise, what will they think of next?

  6. Pingback: How not to measure temperature, part 69 « Watts Up With That?

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