Department of Commerce $ National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration $ National Weather Service NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MANUAL 10-1315 APRIL 18, 2007 Operations and Services Surface Observing Program (Land), NDSPD 10-13 Cooperative Station Observations NOTICE: This publication is available at: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/directives/. OPR: OS7 (J.Newkirk) Certified by: OS7 (D. McCarthy) Type of Issuance: Emergency SUMMARY OF REVISIONS: This Directive supersedes National Weather Service Manual, Cooperative Station Observations, dated September 21, 2006. Re-wrote section 4.1 page A-6, added M for missing data section 4 page D-15 and section 10 page E-6. Moved winterizing Universal Gage out of the F&P Section to the Universal Section. Minor word changes. Signed April 4, 2007 Dennis McCarthy Date Director, Office of Climate Water and Weather Services NWSM 10-1315 APRIL 18, 2007 Cooperative Station Observations Table of Contents: Page 1 Purpose.......................................................................................................................................3 2. Definition of a Cooperative Station...........................................................................................3 3. Reporting Elements....................................................................................................................3 3.1 Precipitation......................................................................................................................3 3.2 Air Temperature................................................................................................................3 3.3 River Stage........................................................................................................................3 3.4 Evaporation, Wind Movement and Water Temperature...................................................3 3.5 Soil Temperature...............................................................................................................4 3.6 Atmospheric Phenomena ..................................................................................................4 3.7 Flash Flooding..................................................................................................................4 4. Establishing, Maintaining, and Inspecting Stations...................................................................4 4.1 Observer Training.............................................................................................................4 4.2 Maintenance......................................................................................................................4 4.3 Requesting Supplies..........................................................................................................4 4.4 Reporting Equipment or Instrument Problems .................................................................5 5. Preferred Time for Taking Observations ...................................................................................5 6. Resetting Instruments ................................................................................................................5 7. Forms .........................................................................................................................................5 7.1 Legibility...........................................................................................................................5 7.2 Disposition of Forms.........................................................................................................5 8. Paperless Data Transmission .....................................................................................................5 9. Figures .......................................................................................................................................6 Appendices A. Precipitation................................................................................................................. A-1 B. Air Temperature............................................................................................................B-1 C. River Stages and Related Precipitation Observations ..................................................C-1 D. Evaporation Station Observations ............................................................................... D-1 E. Soil Temperature Stations.............................................................................................E-1 F. Atmospheric Phenomena ..............................................................................................F-1 G. Flash Flooding............................................................................................................. G-1 2 NWSM 10-1315 APRIL 18, 2007 1. Purpose. The purpose of this manual is to provide guidelines for taking and reporting climate and weather observations at cooperative observer program stations. The instructions pertain to the exposure, operation, maintenance of instruments, and equipment used by the cooperative observer. 2. Definition of a Cooperative Station. A cooperative weather observing station, under the direction of the National Weather Service (NWS), is a location at which weather observations are taken or other services rendered by private citizens, institutions or by other government agencies. Services rendered usually consist of taking instrumental or visual observations, recording data and transmitting reports. The equipment is usually owned by the NWS, but may be owned by an individual company, another government agency, or privately owned by the cooperative observer. 3. Reporting Elements. Although the majority of cooperative stations record precipitation amounts and maximum and minimum temperatures, each station is unique. For example, one station may record precipitation only, while another station may record precipitation, temperature, and evaporation. One or more of the following elements may be reported: a. Precipitation f. Water Temperature b. Air temperature g. Soil Temperature c. River stage h. Atmospheric Phenomena d. Evaporation i. Flash Flooding e. Wind Movement 3.1 Precipitation. Measurements are made for the amount of rainfall, snowfall (new snow), the depth of snow, and other forms of precipitation. Records are kept of the character, type, and time of occurrence. Each station is usually furnished with a non-recording or a weighing-type recording gauge. 3.2 Air Temperature. Measurements of the current air temperature and the maximum and minimum temperatures between observations are taken and recorded daily. Cooperative stations are provided with maximum and minimum thermometers and an instrument shelter for housing the thermometers, or an Electronic Thermometer System (ET). 3.3 River Stage. Some stations take daily observations of river stages. These stations generally record precipitation, weather conditions, depth of snow or ice, and the status of the river (rising or falling). Each is furnished with an appropriate river gauge for the station. 3.4 Evaporation, Wind Movement and Water Temperature. Daily measurements are made by the amount of evaporation in an open, freely exposed pan. Measurements are made of wind movement over the pan, temperature of the water, and at some stations, wet and dry-bulb temperatures of the air. The stations are provided with: a. An evaporation pan with stilling well and evaporation gauge. b. A totalizing anemometer. 3 NWSM 10-1315 APRIL 18, 2007 c. Six’s style maximum and minimum thermometer. 3.5 Soil Temperature. Selected stations record the soil temperatures daily. These stations are provided with soil thermometers or sensing elements to be installed under undisturbed bare or grass-covered soil at selected depths. 3.6 Atmospheric Phenomena. Weather occurrences such as rain, cloud cover, hail, and thunderstorms are considered to be atmospheric phenomena. Phenomena of severe enough nature to threaten life and property are usually reported when they take place, rather than waiting to report them at the scheduled time of observation. 3.7 Flash Flooding. In areas where flash flooding may occur, observations of the conditions which cause flash flooding are reported promptly. These conditions include heavy rainfall, river or creek stage, and the formation or breakup of ice jams. 4. Establishing, Maintaining, and Inspecting Stations. The National Weather Service Representative (NWSREP) is responsible for the installation of all furnished instruments and equipment. Hourly precipitation data, evaporation and soil temperature stations should be visited semi-annually. All other sites should be visited annually. In the cooperative program, the NWSREP is usually the Data Acquisition Program Manager (DAPM), Observing Program Leader (OPL) or the Hydrometeorological Technician (HMT). At times, other staff such as Service Hydrologist, Intern, Meteorologist in Charge, Meteorologist, regional and national personnel, etc operating within the scope of the cooperative program are considered an NWSREP. 4.1 Observer Training. When establishing a station, the NWSREP will instruct the observer in established techniques of weather observing, recording data, safety and environmental work practices as outlined in NWSM 50-1115 and NWSM 50-5116, and caring for instruments and equipment. During all site visits, the NWSREP should discuss any problems when observing and recording weather data with the cooperative observer; as well as inspecting and maintaining the instruments and equipment. 4.2 Maintenance. Instruments and equipment furnished