Daily Observation Checklist
NOTE:
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST) UNLESS
OTHERWISE NOTED.
0700 Observation:
0630-0645: Preliminary indoor tasks
- Check indoor wind recorders and clock, calibrate if necessary
- Cut off wind charts, stamp with date
- Record max and min temperatures on office displays
0645-0655: Preliminary outdoor readings
- Read maximum and minimum temperatures
- Saturate wick and start fan for ventilation
- If near or below freezing, saturate wet bulb wick on hand-held psychrometer and place on fence not in direct sunlight
- Visual observation of visibility, total sky cover, present weather, obstructions to vision, and mountains visible
0655-0703: Primary indoor observations
- Read mercury barometer and its thermometer
- Change daily microbarograph chart
- Record current temperature on Nimbus and MCTA
- Read 24-hour precipitation total from Nimbus and reset
- Read Maximum (#1) peak wind gust and reset
- Read Merlin peak wind and direction, average wind speed and direction, and reset
- Observe 420C wind direction for 1 minute average
- Note any occurrence of wind gusts on chart in 10 minutes ending at 0655 and any peak gusts during previous hour
- Note present weather and obstructions to vision
0703-0707: Primary outdoor observations
- Record dry and wet bulb temperatures
- Replace rain gage if necessary
- Record precipitation in Tru-Check wedge gage (currently obsolete)
- Measure snow on boards and clear
- Measure snow cover
0707-0710: Primary tower roof observations
- Confirm total cloud cover
- Types and estimated height of cloud (each layer)
- Average horizontal visibility
- Mountains visible, and condition of mountatins
- Check sun card to see replacement time
0800 Observation:
0750-0755:
- Saturate wet bulb wick and turn on fan
0755-0800:
- Read and record dry and wet bulb temperatures, then turn off fan
0800:
- Replace hygrothermograph chart
- Reset maximum and minimum thermometers
- Place a small stone in weighing precipitation gage to raise pen above previous traces
- Check ombroscope chart to see when it will need to be replaced
0900 Observation:
0900:
- Record current temperature
1000 Observation:
0950-0955:
- Saturate wet bulb wick and turn on fan in shelter
- If near or below freezing, saturate wet bulb wick on hand-held psychrometer and place on fence not in direct sunlight
0955-1000:
- Backup (four-day) barograph change (every fourth day as necessary)
- Read mercury barometer and its thermometer, if changing four-day barograph chart
0955-1005:
- In office, note 1-minute average wind direction (on dial) and variation
- In office, note any occurrence of wind gusts on chart in 10 minutes ending at 0955 and any peak gusts during previous hour
- In Hazen shelter, record dry and wet bulb temperatures
- Record dry and wet bulb from hand-held psychrometer if needed
- Measure any new rainfall in standard gage for past 3 hours with precipitation stick
- Measure any new snowfall on snow board with precipitation stick
- From tower roof, record visual observation of sky cover, cloud types and heights, visibility and mountains visible
1100 Observation:
1100:
- Record current temperature
1200 Observation:
1200:
- Record current temperature
1300 Observation:
1250-1255:
- Saturate wet bulb wick and turn on fan in shelter
- If near or below freezing, saturate wet bulb wick on hand-held psychrometer and place on fence not in direct sunlight
1255-1305:
- In office, note 1-minute average wind direction (on dial) and variation
- In office, note any occurrence of wind gusts on chart in 10 minutes ending at 1255 and any peak gusts during previous hour
- In Hazen shelter, record dry and wet bulb temperatures
- Record dry and wet bulb from hand-held psychrometer if needed
- If precipitation has occurred in the past 6 hours and none is expected in the next 18 hours, replace standard gage tube with dry tube. Measure and record precipitation
- Measure any new snowfall on snow board with precipitation stick
- From tower roof, record visual observation of sky cover, cloud types and heights, visibility and mountains visible
- If necessary, make sure sun card and ombroscope chart have been changed