NWS goes trucking for hard-to-reach data

[Mark / Ohio]

http://gcn.com/Articles/2011/07/18/Mobile-Telematics-Apps.aspx?Page=1&p=1

Snip from above link:

NWS goes trucking for hard-to-reach data

Vehicle fleets as roving sensor networks? The National Weather Service says yes.

    By Patrick Marshall
    Jul 06, 2011

Hitchhiking used to be a respectable way for  people to share mobile resources. Although rising crimes rates and public fears virtually put an end to that practice in the 1970s, it is being revived — for data if not for people.

The National Weather Service, in fact, has just completed a one-year pilot project in which it received weather data from sensors riding on 20 Greyhound buses between New York City and Montreal. The test went so well that the National Weather Service recently awarded a $2.8 million contract to expand the program. 

According to the primary contractor, Global Science & Technology, 2,000 commercial vehicles will be equipped with sensors beginning in October and will be sending data to NWS in near real time. “We are rolling out coverage on the national level,” said Brian Bell, vice president and general manager at GST.

That effort is likely to mark the beginning of programs run by government agencies and private companies to deploy fleets of vehicles that collect a variety of data.....

[mackbig]

I wondered why there was always 60mph winds on I-87 

Andrew

[CNYWeather]

With all the PWS out there, how bout they equip us with some NWS standard equipment
for 100's more reporting stations

[neondesert]

With all the PWS out there, how bout they equip us with some NWS standard equipment
for 100's more reporting stations

Dream on, Tony! 

[WeatherHost]

I'm not sure what they mean by hard-to-reach, or what they're gaining on moving vehicles, but it would seem to me that they'd be better off dealing with PWS sites in selected remote or target areas.

[DanS]

I'm not sure what they mean by hard-to-reach, or what they're gaining on moving vehicles, but it would seem to me that they'd be better off dealing with PWS sites in selected remote or target areas.

First thought I had while reading that article. Today it's difficult to find anywhere that doesn't have one of those temp icons when looking at a PWS location map.

[Mark / Ohio]

My thoughts were how good would the data really be?  My truck thermometer always reads 10+ degrees high unless I'm out in the middle of the country running down the road 60 mph.  Wind data would be useless unless parked in an open area and the direction it was parked would need to be calculated to calibrate the data.  Baro readings would fluctuate every time the vehicle was passed in the opposite direction by another vehicle, especially trucks.  Further I would think any moving vehicle would constantly show pressure variations from wind buffeting around it.

I'm just not sold on the idea.  I too think the money would be better spent on fixed sensors either private, public and commercial locations.  It all smells of the usual buddy back scratching connection between government and business that goes on.