MEASUREMENT OF WEATHER/ENVIRONMENTAL

CONDITIONS USING WEATHER STATION AT UET TAXILA

INTRODUCTION:
A weather station is a facility, either on land or sea, with instruments and equipment for measuring
atmospheric conditions to provide information for weather forecasts and to study the weather and climate.
The measurements taken include temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, wind speed, wind direction,
and precipitation amounts. Wind measurements are taken with as few as other obstructions as possible,
while temperature and humidity measurements are kept free from direct solar radiation, or insolation.
Manual observations are taken at least once daily, while automated measurements are taken at least once an
hour. Weather conditions out at sea are taken by ships and buoys, which measure slightly different
meteorological quantities such as sea surface temperature, wave height, and wave period. Drifting weather
buoys outnumber their moored versions by a significant amount.

Components:
1) Temperature sensor
2) Humidity sensor
3) Wind speed sensor
4) Wind direction sensor
5) Direct solar radiation sensor
6) Evaporation sensor
7) Rainfall sensor

Description of Weather Station Components:

1. Temperature:
A temperature is a numerical measure of hot
and cold. Its measurement is by detection of heat radiation, particle
velocity, kinetic energy, or most commonly, by the bulk behavior of
a thermometric material. It may be calibrated in any of various
temperature scales, Celsius, Fahrenheit, Kelvin, etc.

There are many types of temperature sensors

Mechanical
Thermo junctive (Thermocouple)
Thermo resistor (RTD and thermistor)
Radioactive
Working Principle:
a. Mechanical sensor:

A change in temperature causes some kind of mechanical motion, typically due to fact
that most of material expand with a rise in temperature. Mechanical thermometer can be constrcted
which use Liquid, solid ,or even gases as the temperature material.

b. Thermocouple:

It is a type of temperature sensor, which is made by joining two dissimilar metals at one
end. The joined end is referred to as the HOT JUNCTION. The other end of these dissimilar metals is
referred to as the COLD JUNCTION. The cold junction is actually formed at the last point of thermocouple
material. If there is a difference in temperature between the hot junction and cold junction, a small voltage
is created. This voltage is referred to as an EMF (electro-motive force) and can be measured and in turn
used to indicate temperature.

c. Thermo resistor:

Thermo resistor are of two types RTD and thermistor.

i) RTD (Resistance temperature detector): RTD is a temperature sensing device whose resistance changes
with temperature. Typically built from platinum, though devices made from nickel or copper are not
uncommon, RTDs can take many different shapes like wire wound, thin film.

ii) Thermistors: Similar to the RTD, the thermistor is a temperature sensing device whose resistance
changes with temperature. Thermistors, however, are made from semiconductor materials.

2. Humidity:
Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere caused by condensation and evaporation. It can
be measured as absolute humidity, or as relative humidity it is what gives you that horrible sticky feeling
on a hot day and can cause heat stroke . We feel most comfortable with relative humidity between 30%
and 60%.
Absolute humidity: the amount of water vapor in a unit volume of air
Relative humidity: the ratio of moisture in the atmosphere to the maximum moisture the atmosphere can
hold
Hygrometer (Humidity sensor):
A hygrometer is an instrument used for measuring the moisture content in
the atmosphere. Humidity measurement instruments usually rely on
measurements of some other quantity such as temperature, pressure,
mass or a mechanical or electrical change in a substance as moisture is
absorbed.
Working principle:

a. Psychrometers:
Wet and dry bulb psychrometers are the simplest
way of measuring humidity. This type of hygrometer uses two
basic mercury thermometers, one with a wet bulb one with a dry
bulb. When water covers the bulb of a thermometer (wet-bulb),
latent heat is removed from the surface of the bulb as the water
evaporates, and the wet-bulb temperature becomes lower than
the air (dry-bulb) temperature. Evaporation from the water on
the wet bulb causes its temperature reading to drop, causing it to
show a lower temperature than the dry bulb. At a lower
humidity, water evaporates more actively, so that the wet-bulb
temperature lowers sharply. The aspirated psychrometer
measures humidity by measuring the difference between the dry-bulb temperature and wet-bulb
temperature.

b. Hair hygrometer:

Hair hygrometer uses an organic material (usually human hair) that expands and contracts as
a result of the surrounding humidity, the dimensions of various organic materials vary with their moisture
content. A humidity change takes an effect on the moisture content in such materials. The length of human
hair from which liquid are removed increases by 2 to 2.5% when relative humidity changes by 0 to 100%.
Different types of human hair show different changes in length. However, there is still a relationship
between the length of hair and relative humidity.

c. Electronic hygrometer (capacitive type):

Electronic hygrometers detect the

change in the electrostatic capacity or electric resistance of a sensor
when it absorbs moisture. In this section, the electrical capacitive
hygrometer is described. The electrical capacitive hygrometer uses a
dielectric material made of high polymer membrane, as a sensor.

3. Wind speed sensor (anemometer):

An anemometer use for measuring the average and maximum wind

speed. And is a common weather station instrument. From the Greek word animus, meaning wind, and is
used to describe any air speed measurement instrument used in meteorology or aerodynamics.
Working Principle:

a. Revolving-cup electric anemometer:

Anemometer is like a small electricity generator mounted in a sealed-
up metal cylinder with an axle. On top of the axle, there are several large cups that catch the wind and make
the generator spin around.

b. Propeller anemometer:
A propeller may also be used to drive the electric generator, as in the propeller
anemometer. In another type of wind-driven unit, revolving vanes operate a counter, the revolutions being
timed by a stopwatch and converted to airspeed. This device is especially suited for the measurement of low
airspeeds.

4.Wind direction sensor:

A sensor for measuring average wind is called wind

direction sensor. This sensor consists of a light wind vane pivoted on top of a
housing. Inside the housing a compass is magnetically coupled to the vane.

Working principle:
Wind sensor work on the principles on which the other wind direction measuring objects are
based. The working and the operation of wind direction sensor for the detection of the direction of the wind
depends on the construction and the joined with the pivot and the whole circuit is operated with the help of
electrical signal. When the wind blows it strike with the wind direction sensor and the device moves toward
the opposite direction that detect the direction of the wind. The electronic apparatus that is connected with
the wind direction sensor make it possible for the detectors to calculate the direction with more accuracy and
records the reading. On the whole wind direction sensor is an important in the field of wind direction

5. Direct solar radiation:

Solar radiation traveling on a straight line from the
sun down to the surface of the earth. This precision Solar Radiation
sensor or pyranometer includes a bubble level, leveling screws and
mounting hardware for easy installation. There are two ways solar
radiation reaches the Earth's surface. The first is direct solar radiation
where the solar radiation is directly transmitted through the atmosphere.
The second is diffuse solar radiation where the incoming solar radiation
is scattered or reflected to the Earth's surface. Almost 50% of shortwave solar radiation is absorbed by the
Earth's surface and changed into thermal infrared radiation.

Pyrheliometer:
A pyrheliometer is an instrument for measurement of direct beam
solar irradiance. Sunlight enters the instrument through a window and is directed
onto a thermopile which converts heat to an electrical signal that can be
recorded. The signal voltage is converted via a formula to measure watts per
square meter. A pyrheliometer is often used in the same setup with a
pyranometer.

6. Evaporation meter:

Evaporation Meter measures losses from storages, channels and drains. By accurately
measuring and logging water level every 15 minutes and relating night time evaporation to weather data,
total losses can be split up to separate seepage and evaporation components. The measured evaporation rates
can then be linked to standard weather data and evaporation losses calculated daily as required. Similarly,
seepage rates (mm/day) can be applied to any storage, channel or drain to calculate losses.

7.Rainfall Gauge:

A rain gauge (also known as udometer, pluviometer) is a

type of instrument used by meteorologists and hydrologists to gather and
measure the amount of liquid precipitation over a set period of time. Most
rain gauges generally measure the precipitation in millimeters. The level of
rainfall is sometimes reported as inches or centimeters. Rain gauge
amounts are read either manually or by automatic weather station (AWS).

Observations and Calculations:

Sr. Temperature Humidity Wind Wind direction Direct solar Evaporation Rainfall
No. speed (Deg. From
(Celsius) (%RH) Radiation sensor (mm)
north)
(m/s) (W/m2)

1. 30.8 53.6 1.1 75 611 122.8 0.00

2. 33.5 54 0.9 90 604 122.7 0.00

3. 33.6 52.7 0.6 70 564 122.6 0.00

4. 33.7 53.9 0.6 70 532 122.5 0.00

Applications of Weather Stations:

A variety of land-based weather station networks have been set up globally. Some of these are basic to
analyzing weather fronts and pressure systems, such as the synoptic observation network, while others are
more regional in nature.

Examples of industrial/municipal applications for a small, automatic weather station include:

External environment sensor set for large facilities energy management systems.
The Weather Hawk can be the first link in an early-warning system about facility status, when
conditions become extreme and physical plant staff must take action.
Free weather services often get weather data from sites that are actually miles away from
your location. Weather data produced by a Weather Hawk at your location is far more
accurate, and far more impressive.

Turf grass management using Weather Hawk to provide ETO (evapotranspiration) data for
irrigation scheduling.
Micro-climate monitoring by more than one Weather Hawk from a single host computer.
Storm water data logging for archival purposes
First responder system for environmental disaster management

Conclusions:

It is concluded that using weather station weather condition at any location is conveniently
monitored and also we can collect data of different weather parameters and their trends which may help in
research work and also can provide reliable source of data for different engineering projects.