Frequently Asked Questions
Some of the things we're most commonly asked about the Maryland
Mesonet project, along with some information we think it's
important to share! Feel free to browse all the questions, or select from one of the
general topic sections in the dropdown menu below:
The site selection process is happening in two phases:
First is an initial build-out of 28 sites (at least one per county) pre-selected based on finding the regions in each county with a history of extreme total daily precipitation that frequently exceeds 2+ inches/day.
Second is a step-by-step expansion, in which we'll select locations for the remaining stations based on modeling analysis.
If all goes smoothly, the first phase (deploying the initial 28 stations) is expected to be complete by the end of Summer 2024.
FOOTPRINT: The site should be a flat, natural surface at least 33 square feet large (~10 square meters). Surrounding vegetation and structures need to be a distance from the tower that is at least 10 times their height (e.g., a 30-foot tree must be 300 feet away).
THINGS TO AVOID: The site must avoid large 1) industrial heat sources (e.g., rooftops, railways) or any place that produces heat (e.g., asphalt, stone, concrete coverings), 2) steep slopes or sheltered hollows, 3) high vegetation or forests, 4) shaded or irrigated areas, 5) swamps or other large bodies of water (or low places that can hold standing water after rainfall), and 6) areas where snowdrifts can occur.
THIS IS A MUST: Good site locations need to also have a natural plant cover (e.g., grass, weeds, etc.), have uniform and low-growing vegetation (to help avoid either extremely bare soil, fast growing vegetation nearby, or rapid swaps between the two), and be available for visits by technicians, students, and authorities throughout the year.
How many mesonet weather stations will be installed?
We currently plan to have at least three weather stations in each Maryland county. In fact, we've already started selecting our first sites!The site selection process is happening in two phases:
First is an initial build-out of 28 sites (at least one per county) pre-selected based on finding the regions in each county with a history of extreme total daily precipitation that frequently exceeds 2+ inches/day.
Second is a step-by-step expansion, in which we'll select locations for the remaining stations based on modeling analysis.
If all goes smoothly, the first phase (deploying the initial 28 stations) is expected to be complete by the end of Summer 2024.
What conditions go into finding a station site that's representative of the local area?
It's important to locate the stations at sites that are representative of the mesoscale environment and to minimize the influence of any potential sources of mesoscale bias. To do that, we need our sites to meet the following conditions:FOOTPRINT: The site should be a flat, natural surface at least 33 square feet large (~10 square meters). Surrounding vegetation and structures need to be a distance from the tower that is at least 10 times their height (e.g., a 30-foot tree must be 300 feet away).
THINGS TO AVOID: The site must avoid large 1) industrial heat sources (e.g., rooftops, railways) or any place that produces heat (e.g., asphalt, stone, concrete coverings), 2) steep slopes or sheltered hollows, 3) high vegetation or forests, 4) shaded or irrigated areas, 5) swamps or other large bodies of water (or low places that can hold standing water after rainfall), and 6) areas where snowdrifts can occur.
THIS IS A MUST: Good site locations need to also have a natural plant cover (e.g., grass, weeds, etc.), have uniform and low-growing vegetation (to help avoid either extremely bare soil, fast growing vegetation nearby, or rapid swaps between the two), and be available for visits by technicians, students, and authorities throughout the year.