Modern Measurements

Modern Measurements

Automated instruments

Since the late 20th century, technology has allowed meteorologists to develop and use automatic weather stations, which allow atmospheric conditions to be monitored without a meteorologist in the site.

This allows meteorologists to get a more accurate picture of the atmosphere, because meteorologists can get information from many locations at once.

Automated instruments

Most automatic weather stations have a thermometer, barometer, hygrometer, and anerometer. Some automatic weather stations have a sensor that detects special weather conditions, such as fog.

Newer automatic weather stations run on batteries recharged by solar panels or wind turbines.

Multiple Choice

All types of weather stations allow atmospheric conditions to be monitored without a meteorologist in the site.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

What is one benefit of automatic weather stations?

• Meteorologists can accumulate data from many places at once

• Meteorologists are not able to reach difficult places to measure the weather

• Meteorologists have to travel to many places to get accurate measurements

Automated Instruments

Many automatic weather stations, especially those at airports, include a transmissometer, a device that measures visibility.

One important group of automatic weather stations, the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS), is used extensively by the National Weather Service for weather forecasting.

Upper atmospheric conditons

Temperature, pressure, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, and precipitation in the lower atmosphere give a great deal of information about weather conditions.

Multiple Choice

The function of a transmissometer is to measure visibility?

• True

• False

Upper atmospheric conditions

Meteorologists often measure high-altitude weather conditions by attaching instruments to unmanned helium or hydrogen weather ballons. The data is transmitted by radio to weather stations. Instruments that simultaneously measure and transmit meteorological data from ballons to weather stations below are radiosondes.

Multiple Choice

What instrument transmits meteorological data from a weather ballon to weather stations?

• Transmissometer

• Sounding rocket

• Radiosonde

• Ceilometer

Upper atmospheric conditions

Measurements of high altitude conditions are also made by similiar instruments abroad sounding rockets. This instruments can be also helpful at studying auroras.

To measure the distance from the ground to the base of the cloud meteorologists use a ceilometer.