Data Loggers monitor weather in Wales.
Campbell Scientific Ltd. data loggers will remain at the
centre of the expanding network of weather and climate
monitoring in the mountains of Snowdonia, north Wales.
Two new AWSs are being installed by the University of Wales, Bangor
and First Hydro Company at Tan y Grisiau (200m) and on the Stwlan
dam (550m) in the Moelwyn mountains.
These AWSs will be used to provide on-line information for pump
storage hydro power generation. Rainfall, for example, produces
excess water in the two-reservoir systems used by First Hydro at
Dinorwig and Ffestiniog. This excess rain water must be monitored
and then released into local rivers according to best environmental
practice. Wind and air temperature affect evaporation losses from
the lake surfaces and can be included in the water balance calculations.
The three existing AWS sites in Llanberis (100m), Clogwyn (770m) and
on Snowdon summit (1065m) can be seen on-line with web-camera
images at www.fhc.co.uk/weather. The summit anemometer is mounted
on the railway building roof and is sheltered from some of the extremes
of wind. Rebuilding the summit trig, pillar this summer has provided an
opportunity to measure the true summit wind speeds. The new pillar
has a stainless steel frame which will be clad in local stone; a secure
instrument housing inside has room for a CSL datalogger. For short
periods, a pole with wind sensors on top can be fitted to the top of the
new trig, pillar. Hand-held wind measurements at the trig, have shown
twice the speed of simultaneous output from the roof anemometer.
"Wind speeds of 1 30+mph have been recorded by the roof-mounted
sensors, so we could be looking for true summit wind speeds of 200+mph"
said Dr Jeremy Williams of the Snowdonia Weatherstations Project.
A brass 'panorama' plate is being fitted to the new trig, pillar by the
university and the National Park Authority. This will commemorate the
work and help the 300,000 visitors each year in identifying the many
mountains and landmarks visible from Snowdon.
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For further information, contact:-
Campbell Scientific Ltd.
Web Camera: www.fhc.co.uk/weather
Report and photos courtesy of Dr Jeremy Williams, University of Wales, Bangor.
June 2001
