Mobile Mesonet
Texas
Tech Atmospheric Science Group maintains a fleet of five mobile mesonets. The instruments are a vehicle mounted package
which collects data at 2.5 m AGL. The system consists of an RM Young 5106 Wind monitor,
GPS antenna and receiver, ventilated slow and fast response temperature sensor,
relative humidity probe, and a barometric pressure sensor. The data is stored
in a Campbell Scientific CR23X data logger, but is viewed in real-time from
inside the vehicle through a LabView interface
running on a laptop computer. The system
samples at 0.5 Hz and is powered by the vehicle battery. The mobile Mesonet maintains the capability
to collect data while the vehicle is in motion or stationary.
The
mobile Mesonet has primarily been used by TTUHRT as a scout vehicle for the
SMART-Radars, identifying roadway hazards and potential deployment sites.
However, during the 1998 and 1999 Atlantic Hurricane seasons they were used to
sample hurricane rainbands at landfall. During
Hurricane Frances, mobile Mesonet T4 was forced to relay radio transmissions
between SMART-Radar #1 and #2, during this time the crew relayed real-time
surface observations to the National Hurricane Center’s Ham radio watch network
and was recognized for their efforts by the Melbourne, FL NWSFO.
TTUHRT has used mobile mesonets
to sample hurricane rainbands and as scout vehicles
for the SMART-Radars
The
mobile Mesonet however has been a vital tool in severe weather research. It was
used extensively during project VORTEX. TTU has used
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