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Weather Related Organizations => CWOP Forum => Topic started by: Henry Leonard on March 26, 2020, 03:48:34 PM

Title: Weather Station for Cooperative Weather Observer Program?
Post by: Henry Leonard on March 26, 2020, 03:48:34 PM

I reccently learned about the cooperative weather observer program and was wondering if they assign or give you a weather station to maintain, or if you have to buy your own. Also, is maintaining a weather station hard?

Title: Re: Weather Station for Cooperative Weather Observer Program?
Post by: ocala on March 26, 2020, 03:56:55 PM

Yes you buy your own plastic 4 inch gauge. Just go to their site and see the link for buying one.

Title: Re: Weather Station for Cooperative Weather Observer Program?
Post by: Henry Leonard on March 26, 2020, 03:59:41 PM

Don't you need stuff like a anenometer, thermometer, barometer, humidity sensor, and other stuff like that?

Title: Re: Weather Station for Cooperative Weather Observer Program?
Post by: CW2274 on March 26, 2020, 04:30:31 PM

Quote from: Henry Leonard on March 26, 2020, 03:48:34 PM

I reccently learned about the cooperative weather observer program and was wondering if they assign or give you a weather station to maintain, or if you have to buy your own. Also, is maintaining a weather station hard?

Yes, you have to buy your own and how difficult your maintenance is completely dependent on where you "sit" it. Keeping the rain bucket clear of debris is the biggest thing.

Title: Re: Weather Station for Cooperative Weather Observer Program?
Post by: ocala on March 26, 2020, 04:31:41 PM

My bad.
I was thinking of COCORAHS
Sorry about that.
Yes for CWOP you have to buy your own weather station. Once you get one you can use just about any software to upload your data to them.
Maintaining a weather station is easy. Most are built for the elements and require very little maintenance. But as with anything you get what you pay for. 

Title: Re: Weather Station for Cooperative Weather Observer Program?
Post by: Henry Leonard on March 26, 2020, 04:36:22 PM

Can I use any weather station?

Title: Re: Weather Station for Cooperative Weather Observer Program?
Post by: CW2274 on March 26, 2020, 04:37:57 PM

Quote from: Henry Leonard on March 26, 2020, 04:36:22 PM

Can I use any weather station?

As long as you can get the data online.

Title: Re: Weather Station for Cooperative Weather Observer Program?
Post by: tweatherman on March 26, 2020, 04:40:23 PM

I'm a coop member and if you are chosen they will give you to use a 8" rain gauge and a nimbus min/max thermometer to use. It's not yours to keep after your done being a member.

Thanks,
tweatherman

Title: Re: Weather Station for Cooperative Weather Observer Program?
Post by: ValentineWeather on March 26, 2020, 05:24:04 PM

I was going to say they only need observers at certain locations. Local FCO will advertise these areas somewhere on their website or local radio.

They supply the equipment or at least use to.

Quote from: Henry Leonard on March 26, 2020, 04:36:22 PM

Can I use any weather station?

No, they have standard instruments. It doesn't keep you from having a PWS however. You can compare the data between the two. I would go with a Davis FARS for trusted accuracy. Would be interesting I'm sure for many here if you did have both stations and shared the differences you see in temperature and official rain gauge.

https://www.weather.gov/media/box/coop/coop_nimbus_instructions.pdf