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