Topic: Newly paved black asphalt road

[vreihen]

One gallon is good for 90 square feet:

https://www.amazon.com/RAE-7310-professional-crosswalks-Solvent-based/dp/B007ICAGCU

This one only covers 45 square feet per gallon, and contains chemicals that the State of California most certainly would object to:

https://www.amazon.com/RAE-7310-professional-crosswalks-Solvent-based/dp/B007ICAGCU

You know that you want to do it..... 

[SLOweather]

Ah, just glue down a hundred square yards or so of fake grass. Some of the stuff people are putting in out here looks too real.

[Jstx]

With your sensors so close to the newly paved road I have no doubt that the added insolation on that much thermal mass will affect your readings a bit. The dark shade will lighten over time of course.

However, one factor I haven't seen mentioned yet is any sensor contamination possible from the new asphalt outgassing volatile hydrocarbons and no telling what else.
With all the theorizing around here about sensors (mostly T/H ones) getting degraded by various contaminants, a 24/7 exposure to an expanse of newly-laid asphalt pavement might be enough to do some damage. Y'all know that strong odor from this stuff, it's going to be around for a while, until it finally diminishes by losing much of its' volatile content to the surrounding atmosphere (and depositing it on your sensors).

[WxLover16]

Just curious Wxlover 16 but aren't you afraid with the weather station in the front yard it could be stolen. I know you said it's the best place for it but with all that exposure with the road and people walking by I know it would worry me.

You know, I have thought of it, but (knock on wood), I live in a pretty safe area; so no one has stooped so low (and it's been in the same location for 11 1/2 years. They probably are like what the hell is that anyway lol.

[WxLover16]

WxLover16, I suspect that you will see a difference with the asphalt surface.  I believe the asphalt will absorb much more heat than the lighter colored concrete and transmit that heat to the concrete below it.  The lighter colored concrete was reflecting more solar radiation than the black asphalt will...thus the asphalt will absorb more energy and what it absorbs it will give back.   My thought is that you will see a slower cool-down after the sun goes down.   Being only 10' from the street, seems to me, would cause gentle breezes blowing over the asphalt toward the ISS to affect readings, but these were already affected by the concrete so it's not like you're going from grass to a more solid surface.  Something else, and I don't know if it's correct (or anything else that I've mentioned, either, as far as that goes  ) but asphalt, usually manufactured from petroleum has an oily consistency and to me "seems" to get hotter than concrete...think of walking barefoot and having to hotfoot it across the pavement until you got to the cement sidewalk...something about that oil...???   How much asphalt did they put down...1", 2", 3",...? 

It will be interesting to see how your long term data compares with your past data.

Best wishes.
Ed

I'm bad at estimation, but I just went out and measured and my station is actually about 30' away, not 10'. The asphalt appears very shallow, perhaps 1/2" thick? Does it matter how thick it is though? It's still a big black heat absorbing/radiating surface.

[WxLover16]

With your sensors so close to the newly paved road I have no doubt that the added insolation on that much thermal mass will affect your readings a bit. The dark shade will lighten over time of course.

However, one factor I haven't seen mentioned yet is any sensor contamination possible from the new asphalt outgassing volatile hydrocarbons and no telling what else.
With all the theorizing around here about sensors (mostly T/H ones) getting degraded by various contaminants, a 24/7 exposure to an expanse of newly-laid asphalt pavement might be enough to do some damage. Y'all know that strong odor from this stuff, it's going to be around for a while, until it finally diminishes by losing much of its' volatile content to the surrounding atmosphere (and depositing it on your sensors).

This is the last thing I wanted to hear. I actually ride with my 31 with no filter for the faster response time. Think it's already damaged or should I go in and put the filter in before any damage could be done.

[Intheswamp]

I'm bad at estimation, but I just went out and measured and my station is actually about 30' away, not 10'. The asphalt appears very shallow, perhaps 1/2" thick? Does it matter how thick it is though? It's still a big black heat absorbing/radiating surface.

I was just wondering how much more thermal mass was added.  I would indeed think that the thicker the layer the more thermal energy would be stored to be released later.  A 1/2" of asphalt doesn't seem like much, though...seems like that would get scuffed off pretty easily.

Good deal on the 30' distance...that is much better.

[ValentineWeather]

Filter won't protect from VOC's but will from moisture and dust.

[ocala]

Ya know, after reading this whole thread I think you need to just move.
 

[havtrail]

Thirty feet is a lot better than ten feet. I know I brought up the 100 foot guideline from CWOP, but it's a rare homeowner who can actually meet that. In my suburban township, being thirty feet or so from pavement is probably typical for most yards, given the lot sizes, driveways, patios and so on. If it's representative for your area, too, then accept that you are measuring what people in your neighborhood are experiencing.

The thickness of the asphalt, in my mind, plays less of a role than the blackness of it, acting as a heat absorber more than a reflector. Where I live, they scrape off a top layer of asphalt and then replace it when they repave, so the thickness doesn't change. (They can now reprocess the removed asphalt, too.)

You are the only person I have heard complain when they "finally" repave your street. That's what owning a PWS can do to you... 

Rich K.

[WxLover16]

Ya know, after reading this whole thread I think you need to just move.
 

Packing my bags as we speak. 

[WxLover16]

Thirty feet is a lot better than ten feet. I know I brought up the 100 foot guideline from CWOP, but it's a rare homeowner who can actually meet that. In my suburban township, being thirty feet or so from pavement is probably typical for most yards, given the lot sizes, driveways, patios and so on. If it's representative for your area, too, then accept that you are measuring what people in your neighborhood are experiencing.

The thickness of the asphalt, in my mind, plays less of a role than the blackness of it, acting as a heat absorber more than a reflector. Where I live, they scrape off a top layer of asphalt and then replace it when they repave, so the thickness doesn't change. (They can now reprocess the removed asphalt, too.)

You are the only person I have heard complain when they "finally" repave your street. That's what owning a PWS can do to you... 

Rich K.

Well, the thing is that the concrete was perfect; no cracks or rough edges or anything. Why go pave over something that doesn't need it. The saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" would definitely apply in this instance. The only thing that is "broke" now is my confidence in total afternoon temp accuracy. I do keep track of nearby stations who always run warmer for highs (inadequate shields - accurite mostly) and the hottest I could see is 95.0, whereas I hit 90.1 and a nearby ASOS that I am usually within a degree or two (usually I'm warmer) hit 90 today. Soooo, maybe all this worry is for not. Perhaps the 30' stretch of grass between my station and the asphalt is enough.

[CW2274]

Thirty feet is a lot better than ten feet. I know I brought up the 100 foot guideline from CWOP, but it's a rare homeowner who can actually meet that. In my suburban township, being thirty feet or so from pavement is probably typical for most yards, given the lot sizes, driveways, patios and so on. If it's representative for your area, too, then accept that you are measuring what people in your neighborhood are experiencing.

The thickness of the asphalt, in my mind, plays less of a role than the blackness of it, acting as a heat absorber more than a reflector. Where I live, they scrape off a top layer of asphalt and then replace it when they repave, so the thickness doesn't change. (They can now reprocess the removed asphalt, too.)

You are the only person I have heard complain when they "finally" repave your street. That's what owning a PWS can do to you... 

Rich K.

a nearby ASOS that I am usually within a degree or two (usually I'm warmer) hit 90 today.

With ASOS's using an averaging algorithm, a degree, two, or three is completely within the norm, especially for me.