Weather Observing Program
This page describes the standard operations to meet the requirements of our daily and monthly reporting, long-term statistics and routine performance monitoring. It also lists the networks receiving our data and our describes our affiliations with volunteer programs. The page should be viewed in conjunction with our station metadata and quality assurance for a complete overview of our operations. .
Standard Operations
These data are manually recorded each day at 09:00 and ingested into the database:
- the 24 hour rainfall from the standard rain gauge,
- the 24 hour maximum and minimum temperatures from the electronic check thermometer in the Stevenson Screen to compare with the AWS data,
- the number of lightning strikes in the 24 hours to midnight from the Ecowitt web console,
- the significant weather phenomena in the 24 hours to midnight,
- the current mean sea level pressure from the marine aneroid barometer to compare with the AWS data, and
- an occasional report of cloud, visibility, past and present weather.
These AWS data are automatically recorded each day at 09:00 and ingested into the database:
- the 24 hour maximum temperature,
- the 24 hour minimum temperature,
- the midnight to 09:00 overnight minimum temperature,
- the 24 hour rainfall to compare with the standard rain gauge,
- the 24 hour highest mean wind speed and wind run,
- the maximum wind gust in the 24 hours to midnight, and
- the current mean sea level pressure to compare with official BoM stations.
These data are extracted or derived each day from externally sourced files and ingested into the database:
- the 24 hour maximum and minimum temperatures to 09:00 recorded by the BoM AWS at Laverton, Avalon and Pt Cook for daily monitoring of our temperature data,
- the 24 hour rainfall to 09:00 recorded by the BoM AWS at Laverton and the Melbourne Water rain gauge at Hoppers Crossing for daily monitoring of our rainfall data,
- the 09:00 mean sea level pressure recorded by the BoM AWS at Laverton and Avalon for validation of our mean sea level pressure data, and
- the hourly averaged PM2.5 air quality over the 24 hours to midnight from the Ecowitt web console.
Data are stored in the database as follows:
- Maximum Temperature: the 24 hours to 09:00, recorded against yesterday's date,
- Minimum Temperature: the 24 hours to 09:00, recorded against today's date,
- Overnight Minimum Temperature: from midnight to 09:00, recorded against today's date,
- Daily Rainfall: the 24 hours to 09:00, recorded against today's date,
- Significant Weather Phenomena: the 24 hours to last midnight, recorded against yesterday's date,
- Maximum Wind Gust: the 24 hours to last midnight, recorded against yesterday's date,
- Maximum Wind Speed: the 24 hours to 09:00, recorded against today's date,
- Wind Run: the 24 hours to 09:00, recorded against today's date,
- Mean Sea Level Pressure: at 09:00, recorded against today's date, and
- PM2.5 Air Quality: the 24 hours to last midnight, recorded against yesterday's date.
Data Networks
Our data are shared with these networks:
Affiliations
We are proud to be affiliated with these national volunteer programs.
Storm Spotter
Storm Spotters provide "on-the-spot" reports if any of the following are observed during a severe thunderstorm:
- large hail (2 cm in diameter or greater),
- wind gusts (90 kph or greater),
- tornadoes, or
- heavy rainfall conducive to flash flooding.
Established by the BoM in 1989, the Storm Spotter Network is based on similar networks implemented in Canada and the United States of America. The Storm Spotter Network is an important component of the Severe Thunderstorm Warning Service providing timely information to help forecasters prepare and update severe weather warnings. It also impacts on Australian research into severe thunderstorms by providing a better picture of the frequency and distribution of violent storms.
Rainfall Reader
The network of community rainfall readers comprises more than 350 volunteers who record daily rainfall for Melbourne Water. These records plus data from its own network of electronic rain gauges combine to help understand rainfall patterns across Melbourne, especially after heavy storms, to plan their works. The combined data also helps Melbourne Water to plan responses to droughts and floods, and to make sure that rivers and creeks have enough water to support local wildlife.
Top of page 