I’ve recently updated the www.surfacestations.org website with the latest surveys and numbers. We have 534 stations surveyed. Here is where we stand now with USHCN station surveys:
click for a larger image
Climate Reference Network Rating Guide – adopted from NCDC Climate Reference Network Handbook, 2002, specifications for siting (section 2.2.1) of NOAA’s new Climate Reference Network:
Class 1 – Flat and horizontal ground surrounded by a clear surface with a slope below 1/3 (<19deg). Grass/low vegetation ground cover <10 centimeters high. Sensors located at least 100 meters from artificial heating or reflecting surfaces, such as buildings, concrete surfaces, and parking lots. Far from large bodies of water, except if it is representative of the area, and then located at least 100 meters away. No shading when the sun elevation >3 degrees.
Class 2 – Same as Class 1 with the following differences. Surrounding Vegetation <25 centimeters. No artificial heating sources within 30m. No shading for a sun elevation >5deg.
Class 3 (error ~1C) – Same as Class 2, except no artificial heating sources within 10 meters.
Class 4 (error >~= 2C) – Artificial heating sources <10 meters.
Class 5 (error >~= 5C) – Temperature sensor located next to/above an artificial heating source, such a building, roof top, parking lot, or concrete surface.”
During the next week, I plan to add a number of stations during my road trip, and Russ Steele is getting many also on his 3 month cross country road trip through the USA by mobile home.
If you are planning trips this summer, why not check out which stations have been surveyed here and see if any at the bottom of the list that have not been surveyed will be near your travels? We still have over 600 stations to go, and your help is needed!
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