September Temperature and Precipitation for NearSys Station

The temperature is definitely cooling down in September. Overall, it's been a dry month, except towards the end.

Sky and Ground Thermal Observation for NearSys Station, 29 September 2017

At 7:00 PM MDT the skies over NearSys Station were mostly cloudy with a mix of high altitude cirrus and altocumulus.

The ground temperature was 46 *F. The temperature of the altocumulus was 5 *F And the temperature of the cirrus was -21 *F.

Assuming a dry adiobatic lapse rate of 5.4 *F/1,000 feet, the base of the altocumulus was 7,600 feet AGL. The base of the cirrus was then at 12,400 feet.

I need to determine at some point what calibration factor I need to apply.

Thermal Infrared Image of the Clouds above NearSys Station.

Visible Image of the Clouds above NearSys Station.

Visibility for NearSys Station, 29 September 2017

Based on UAV images taken at 400 feet, the visibility at NearSys Station is at least 50 miles, possibly less towards the North.

Looking East

Looking North

Looking South

Looking West

UAVSonde Data for 29 September 2017

UAVSonde data was collected at 5:00 PM MDT. Here are the data.

Altitude: 2,296 feet
Temperature: 86 *F
Relative Humidity: NA
Pressure: 919.1 mb

Altitude: 2,640 feet
Temperature: 82 *F
Relative Humidity: NA
Pressure: 914.8 mb

Background Neutron Radiation for NearSys Station, 29 September 2017

After 166 of monitoring, only three thermal neutrons were detected. That's an average background level of 3 microrems per hour.

All Sky Photometer Data for Nearsys Station, 26 September 2017

Photometer data were collected beginning at 6:00 AM MDT. The orange spikes are back, so I need to document the orientation of the LED Photometer as a part of my data collection routine.

Sky and Ground Thermal Observation for NearSys Station, 24 Septemver 2017

At 5:00 PM MDT, the skies over NearSys Station were partly cloudy with cumulus clouds. The ground temperature was 42 *F and the temperature of an overhead cumulus cloud was 11*F.

Assuming a dry adiobatic lapse rate of 5.4*F per 1,000 feet, the base of the cumulus clouds over NearSys Station is 5,700 feet AGL.

Thermal Image

RGB Image

Visibility for NearSys Station, 23 September 2017

Based on UAV images taken at 400 feet AGL, the visibility at NearSys Station is at least 50 miles.

Looking East

Looking North

Looking South

Looking West

UAVSonde Data for NearSys Station, 23 September 2017

UAVSonde data was collected at 6:30 PM MDT. Here are the data.

Altitude: 2,309 feet
Temperature: 75 *F
Relative Humidity: 17%
Pressure: 924.3 mb

Altitude: 2,673 feet
Temperature: 76 *F
Relative Humidity: NA
Pressure: 919.1 mb

Sunspot Observation for NearSys Station, 22 September 2017

Only a single sunspot was visible as the sun set behind a cloud bank. The penumbra had a calculated diameter of 11,107 miles and the umbra a diameter of 4,859 miles. Compare this to Earth's diameter of 7,920 miles.

The original image. The sunspot is located near the edge of the 9:00 position.

The image after thresholding.

Background Neutron Radiation for NearSys Station, 22 September 2017

In 142.5 hours of observation, five neutrons were detected. That's a background level of 1.75 microrem of thermal neutron radiation.

Background Neutron Radiation for NearSys Station, 15 September 2017

After 118.5 hours of monitoring, three neutrons were detected. This is a background of 1.2 microrems per hour.

Sky and Ground Thermal Observation for NearSys Station, 16 September 2017

This morning at 8:00 AM MDT the skies were clear of clouds except for very minor streak of cirrus. The ground temperature was 17 *F And the sky temperature was -43 * F. At a difference of 60 degrees and assuming a 5.4 degree dry lapse rate, the altitude the sky temperature was measured is 11,100 feet.

Thermal image of the sky overhead NearSys Station.

This afternoon at 8:00 PM MDT, the sky was clouded over with nearly 100% altostratus (some high level cirrus was visible through gaps). The ground temperature was 34 *F And the sky temperature was -21 *F. Assuming a lapse rate of 5.4 *F, the altitude at which the sky's temperature was measured is 10,200 feet.

Thermal image over NearSys Station this evening. The sky was nearly 100% overcast with altostratus.

RGB image of the sky overhead of NearSys Station this evening.

All Sky Photometer Data for NearSys Station, 16 September 2017

Photometer data were collected beginning at 6:00 AM MDT. Note that there are no spikes in the orange band before and after local noon. This time the photometer was rotated 90 degrees relative to the other days data were collected. I need to see if the data maintains this result. If so, then possibly glare from neighboring LEDs are effecting the orange LED.

Visibility for NearSys Station, 16 September 2017

Based on UAV images taken at 400 feet AGL, the visibility at NearSys Station is at least 50 miles.

Looking east. The Lucy Lee ditch, which supplies irrigation to NearSys Station, is visible as a ribbon winding its way across the image. The Boise Mountains are barely visible on the horizon on the left side.

Looking north.

Looking south towards the Snake River and the Owyhee Mountains.

Looking West towards Homedale and the Snake River.

UAVSonde Data for NearSys Station, 16 September 2017

UAVSonde data were collected at 8:00 AM MDT. Here are the data.

Altitude: 2,296 feet
Temperature: 57 *F
Relative Humidity: NA
Pressure: 938.5 mb

Altitude: 2,673 feet
Temperature: 68 *F
Relative Humidity: 25%
Pressure: 924.3 mb

Ground and Sky Thermal Observation for NearSys Station, 12 September 2017, part two

The high level cirrus clouds over NearSys Station this morning were replaced with a blanket of low level stratus this afternoon.

Another thermal image as recorded and found the ground temperature is 56 *F And the sky temperature overhead is 12 *F. That's a difference of 44 *F.

Assuming a dry adiobatic lapse rate of 5.3 *F indicates the cloud height is 8,100 feet AGL or 10,400 feet. Currently, the Boise Metar reports the cloud ceiling is at least 12,000 feet.

Thermal infrared image taken of the sky above NearSys Station.

RGB image taken of the sky above NearSys Station.

All Sky Photometer Data for NearSys Station, 11 September 2017

Photometer data were collected at day beginning at 6:00 AM. Below are the data.

Usual this day was the fact that yellow light was more intense than any other color. Yellow also peaked an hour before the other colors of the spectrum. At 4:30, yellow began to dip in intensity relative to the other colors.

Red light generated two intensity spikes again, one over three hours prior to local noon and another at three hours after local noon.

Ground and Sky Thermal Observation for NearSys Station, 12 September 2017

The temperature of the ground and sky was recorded at 5:50 AM today. The ground had a temperature of 38 *F and the sky a temperature of -9 *F. That's a difference of 47 *F. The sky was overcast with light cirrus. The cirrus was just thick enough to create a halo around the waning gibbous moon.

Assuming a dry adiabatic lapse rate of 5.4 *F/1000 feet indicates the temperature of the sky is being measured at an altitude of 8,700 feet AGL, or 11,000 feet MSL.

Ground image through the Seek Reveal

  

Sky image through the Seek Reveal

Background Neutron Radiation for NearSys Station, 10 September 2017

In 136 hours of monitoring, only 4 neutrons were detected at NearSys Station.

That's a background radiation of 0.0015 mrem per hour of thermal neutron radiation this week.

Sunspot Observation at NearSys Station, 11 September 2017

Only one sunspot was visible today and it did not show a clear umbra through the projecting telescope. A calculation of the sunspot's diameter indicates it has a diameter of 11,393 miles.

Compare this to Earth with a diameter of 7,918 miles.

Visibility for NearSys Station, 10 September 2017

Based on drone images recorded at 400 feet AGL and observations from the ground, the visibility at NearSys Station is around 30 miles. Smoke has left the lower Treasure Valley for the time being.

Looking East

Looking North

Looking South

Looking East

UAVSonde Data for NearSys Station, 10 September 2017

UAVSonde were collected at 1:00 PM. Here are the data.

Altitude: 2,263 feet
Temperature: 96 *F
Relative Humidity: NA
Pressure: 918.4 mb

Altitude: 2,696 feet
Temperature: 86 *F
Relative Humidity: NA
Pressure: 916.9 mb

Visibility for NearSys Station, 7 September 2017

Visibity has gotten worse and we're now,in a a purple alert for very unhealthy air. Visibilty was reduced to between one and two miles. Below are the UAVSonde images.

Looking North

Looking West

Looking South

Looking East

All Sky Photometer Data for NearSys Station, 5 Septemberer 2017

Photometer data was collected all day beginning at 6:00 AM MDT. Below are the data. It was a smoky day, one that saw the sun fade into the smoke rather than set.

The sky was significantly brighter at 1:00 PM than it was at sunrise. However, it wasn't brighter than it was last week in clear skies. I'll attempt to compare datasets in the near future.

Background Neutron Radiation for NearSys Station, 4 September 2017

Over a nine day monitoring period, only a single neutron was detected. That's a background level of 0.00022 mrem per hour by thermal neutrons.

Visibility for NearSys Station, 4 September 2017

Based on drone images recorded at 400 feet AGL and observations from the ground, the visibility at NearSys Station is around three miles. Smoke has poured back into the lower Treasure Valley with a vengence.

Looking east

Looking south

Looking west

Looking north

August Weather for NearSys Station

August was a hot month that only had 0.01 inches of rain. Below are the recorded daily temperatures.