[wxqc] FW: Alert:Centerville, KS

[Gerry Creager N5JXS]

I visited Vaisala last year and had a chance to fondle the 425's that 
were done with testing and being packed to ship to NWS.  I'm a big fan 
of sonic anemometers and the NWS 425's have a larger heating capacity to 
keep them ice-free than the ones I've worked with for other projects... 
and I've not frozen one yet.  I'm looking forward to seeing these in the 
update cycle.

gerry

George Kellerman wrote:
> Thought this might be interesting to this list
> 
> Public Information Statement
> 807 am EDT Tue Sep 12 2006
> public information statement
> National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
> 700 am CDT Tue sept 12 2006
> 
> The following change has no direct impact on NOAA weather wire 
> service subscribers.
> 
> The automated surface observing system/ASOS/product improvement 
> program will deploy a replacement wind sensor at the downtown Kansas 
> City Airport/mkc...Wednesday September 13, 2006. The new sensor will 
> report wind information using the 3-second world meteorological 
> organization/WMO/gust Standard.
> 
> The current ASOS wind sensor/Belfort 2000/uses rotating cups to 
> measure wind speed and a vane to measure wind direction. Over a 
> two-minute period...ASOS uses 24 five-second averages to determine 
> the two-minute average wind speed and direction. Every minute ASOS 
> stores the highest five-second average speed for the past 
> minute...along with its direction...in the 12-hour archive for 
> additional processing. The highest speed value is used to determine 
> if a gust and/or a peak wind remark will be reported.
> 
> The new ASOS wind sensor/vaisala 425nws/is a sonic anemometer. It is 
> known as the ice free wind/ifw/sensor. It has no moving parts and 
> will operate better in winter weather condtions. As with the Belfort 
> sensor...over a two-minute period...ASOS uses 24 five-second 
> averages to determine the two-minute average wind speed and 
> direction. But the highest three-second running average speed is 
> stored for gust and peak wind processing.
> 
> While there will be little difference in two-minute average 
> windspeed and reporting...the changes in gust and peak wind 
> reporting may be significant. We can expect to see more gusts and 
> peak winds reported with the new sensor. The mass of the moving 
> parts in existing sensors limits responsiveness. The new sensor 
> will be more responsive to short term gusts.
> 
> If you have any questions about this change...please contact:
> 
> George Amis
> observing program Leader
> WFO Pleasant Hill Missouri
> 816-540-5147
> 
> 

-- 
Gerry Creager -- gerry.creager at tamu.edu
Texas Mesonet -- AATLT, Texas A&M University	
Cell: 979.229.5301 Office: 979.458.4020 FAX: 979.862.3983
Office: 1700 Research Parkway Ste 160, TAMU, College Station, TX 77843