Citizen Science Puts Weather Reporting in Your Hands

A distant shower falls over Mount Martha, NH (aka, Cherry Mountain).

If you’re anything like me, you probably have an app or two dedicated to weather on your phone. Maybe you have a preferred app for weather forecasts, another for radar data, and yet another for satellite data. Or maybe instead of apps, you have several go-to websites bookmarked for various weather data.

Weather information keeps us informed so that we can prepare appropriately for the weather ahead, short-term or long-term. With colder weather in the forecast, we might pack a few extra layers or pull in a few more logs for the stove. Or, we might receive a warning about a severe storm heading your direction, and so we pack up, head indoors, and keep an eye on its progress.

While your favorite apps or websites might be providing you with weather data, did you know there are a few apps/sites that you can utilize and provide current weather data to aid in research as a citizen scientist?

Here are some apps that I have on my phone and might be of interest to you:

Mountain Rain or Snow

Remote sensing is improving and aiding in filling weather data gaps. However, precipitation phase changes can be difficult over mountainous terrain, and weather stations only provide information at a static location. That is where human observations aid in detailing how precipitation phase changes vary in time and space. Using these apps, with a few taps you can send observations of precipitation during storms at your location.

Forecasting

NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory is collecting weather reports through the free app mPING. What’s “mPING?” It is an acronym for Meteorological Phenomena Identification Near the Ground. The data in turn help define the precipitation that is falling at your location and improve forecasts and radar techniques. That in turn filters down to improve those various other weather apps you might be using for forecasts and radar data.

Cloud Types and Sky Conditions

GLOBE Observer Clouds can be used to observe clouds, mosquito habitats, land cover, and trees. With the cloud observation aspect, you can help document cloud cover, cloud types, cloud opacity, sky conditions, visibilities, and surface conditions along with photographic examples. It is a bit more involved than the prior reporting apps, but with a few taps and snaps, you can contribute your real-world observations for better understanding and interpretation of satellite data vs surface data.

Ryan Knapp, Weather Observer & Meteorologist

2801, 2008

Island in the Sky

adm_mwobs2008-01-28T00:51:13-05:00January 28th, 2008|Categories: Historical Posts|

Island in the Sky 2008-01-28 00:51:13.000 - Mike Finnegan, IT Observer NULL Today was one of those days when you feel most honored to have a job working atop a place such as Mount Washington. I woke this morning to the typical sight of whitish grey opaqueness

2501, 2008

Lady of the Rime!

adm_mwobs2008-01-25T20:08:56-05:00January 25th, 2008|Categories: Historical Posts|

Lady of the Rime! 2008-01-25 20:08:56.000 - Kyle Paddleford, Observer Smile! If you ever have a problem waking up early in the morning and quickly falling back to sleep, or feeling like the walking dead, I have the perfect solution. You take a temperature of 17 degrees

2401, 2008

Creepy nights

adm_mwobs2008-01-24T15:02:35-05:00January 24th, 2008|Categories: Historical Posts|

Creepy nights 2008-01-24 15:02:35.000 - Stacey Kawecki, Observer NULL “So you’re working nights this week?” This is what Kyle asked me yesterday afternoon. I figured, since I haven’t ever worked nights, and since he’s been working them since December, I’d give him a break and begin my

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