Weather Observation Platform at The Maryland Emergency Management Agency

Reisterstown, Maryland) March 23, 2012 – The Maryland Emergency Management Agency is the latest member to join the ranks of the more than 11,000 volunteers taking observations on farms, urban areas and suburban areas, National Parks, seashores, and mountaintops. The data are truly representative of where people live, work and play.

The staff of MEMA’s Joint Operations Center will join the many volunteer observers who conscientiously contribute their time to gather these meteorological data. These data are invaluable in learning more about the floods, droughts, heat and cold waves affecting us all. Data are also used in agriculture planning and assessment, engineering, environmental-impact assessment, utilities planning and litigation. COOP data plays a critical role in efforts to recognize and evaluate the extent of human impacts on climate from local to global scales.

Equipment to gather these data is provided and maintained by the NationalWeather Service. The collected data is used both operationally and sent to the National Climate Data Center in Ashville, North Carolina, where the data is digitized, checked and archived.

As seen in the photo of the observation platform it consists of a temperature sensor, two precipitation sensors (one automated and one manual), a wind sensor that measure wind direction and speed. The automated components will utilize solar power to maintain continuous operations. In addition ground based snow