Sky and Ground Thermal Observation for NearSys Station, 13 October 2017

Ground and sky observations were made at 6:20 AM MDT using a Week Reveal thermal imager.

The ground had a temperature of 22 *F. The sky has broken stratonimbus and NearSys Station is experiencing light, intermittent rain. The cloud temperature is 7* F.

Assuming a wet adiobatic lapse rate (since it's raining) of 2.7 *F per 1,000 feet (the actual value depends on the temperature), the height to the cloud base is 5,500 feet. The Boise METAR reports broken clouds at 6,000 feet.

All Sky Photometer Data for NearSys Station, 12 October 2017

Photometer data was collected beginning at 6:00 AM MDT. This time the DB-9 connector of the photometer was oriented towards the east. The red channel shows a switch from being the lowest value to the highest as the sun approached due south.

After it stops raining, I will try orienting the photometer towards the south and the north.

All Sky Photometer Data for NearSys Station, 10 October 2017

Photometer data were collected beginning at 6:00 AM MDT. The morning orange spike is back. The DB-9 connector was facing west. I'll change its direction next time and see how that effects the spike. A change was made in data collection. Now all data is recorded at 10-bit resolution and recorded as one word variables (rather than as one byte variables). Recording as larger variables makes it easier and faster to format the data.

The presence of afternoon clouds is responsible for the spikiness seen in the data after 1:00 PM. 

Visibility Report for NearSys Station, 8 October 2017

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

Looking East

Looking North

Looking West

Looking South

UAVSonde Data for NearSys Station, 8 October 2017

UAVSonde data was collected at 8:30 AM. Here are the data.

Altitude: 2,453 feet
Temperature: 54 *F
Relative Humidity: NA
Pressure: 917.6 mb

Altitude: 2,696 feet
Temperature: 50 *F
Relative Humidity: NA
Pressure: 916.9 mb

The GPS reciever tilted during the flight and some altitude reports were lost.

Sky and Ground Thermal Observation for NearSys Station, 8 October 2017

At 8:30 AM, skies over NearSys Station were mostly cloudy. The ground temperature was 23 *F and the cloud temperature was 9 *F. Assuming a dry adiobatic lapse rate of 5.4 *F per 1,000 feet, the cloud base was 2,600 feet AGL.

The Boise METAR reported broken clouds at 5,000 feet AGL.

Thermal infrared image taken of the cumulus above NearSys Station

Color image of the broken cumulus above NearSys Station

Sky and Ground Thermal Observation for NearSys Station, 1 October 2017

I don't normally make two observations this close in tine, but felt I had too great an opportunity to pass up.

The skies above NearSys Station are broken cumulus. A check of the METAR from BOI (the Boise Airport) indicates cumulus clouds with altitudes between 4,000 and 6,000 feet.

The ground temperature at NearSys Station is 44 *F. The temperature of the cumulus clouds is 13 *F. Assuming a dry adiobatic lapse rate of 5.4 *F indicates a cloud height of 5,700 feet.

I need to see if every measure is within this level of accuracy.