We had notification from Exeter today that the Met Office are upgrading
its entire AWS network over the next two years.

Although ours at Bableke is privately owned and funded, the MO are
offering to pay all costs to cover the upgrade!

The new Meteorological Monitoring System (MMS) will "apply new
technological solutions to provide greater reliability", not that we
have a problem with our Campbell Scientific set up.

Anyone know if they are involved in MMS?

Steve Jackson
Bablake Weather Station
Coventry UK
www.bablakeweather.co.uk

Steve J, BWS wrote:

The new Meteorological Monitoring System (MMS) will "apply new
technological solutions to provide greater reliability", not that we
have a problem with our Campbell Scientific set up.

Anyone know if they are involved in MMS?

Steve Jackson
Bablake Weather Station

Yes - the new system is built around the latest CS logger:

http://www.campbellsci.co.uk/index.cfm?id=1058

It's my personal opinion that the Met Office's observations strategy
has now changed to the following:

1. Reduce the climatological network to 200-300 sites, but make
most/all of them synoptic reporting.
2. Own the instruments and communications, then you own the data.
3. Filter out all the other climat sites except those needed for
long-term records or where records cannot otherwise be obtained.
4. As a consequence of 3, reduce the network by attrition and also
refuse any additional offers of voluntary co-operating observers except
where there is a big gap in the network (50 km or more) until the
current 650 sites is reduced by 50% or more.

I wonder when the rainfall network will start to be decimated too?

I hope I'm wrong.

Stephen Burt
Stratfield Mortimer

Stephen Burt wrote:

Yes - the new system is built around the latest CS logger:

http://www.campbellsci.co.uk/index.cfm?id=1058

It's my personal opinion that the Met Office's observations strategy
has now changed to the following:

1. Reduce the climatological network to 200-300 sites, but make
most/all of them synoptic reporting.
2. Own the instruments and communications, then you own the data.
3. Filter out all the other climat sites except those needed for
long-term records or where records cannot otherwise be obtained.
4. As a consequence of 3, reduce the network by attrition and also
refuse any additional offers of voluntary co-operating observers except
where there is a big gap in the network (50 km or more) until the
current 650 sites is reduced by 50% or more.

I wonder when the rainfall network will start to be decimated too?

I hope I'm wrong.

Hi, Stephen,

I got a similar impression during my recent MetO inspection. As you
say, I hope we're wrong and that the amateur will still have a valuable
input. Organisations such as the Climatological Observers' Link (COL)
would have an increasing role for the enthusiast if the Met O went on
this track, wouldn't they?
It would be a shame, but not a surprise, if the MetO alienated amateurs
who have spent many years of their lives making diligent, accurate
manual obs.and supplying them voluntarily.

Best wishes,
Ken
Copley 253metres asl, nr Barnard Castle, Teesdale, County Durham.
http://copley.mysite.orange.co.uk

Ken Cook wrote:
I got a similar impression during my recent MetO inspection. As you
say, I hope we're wrong and that the amateur will still have a valuable
input. Organisations such as the Climatological Observers' Link (COL)
would have an increasing role for the enthusiast if the Met O went on
this track, wouldn't they?
It would be a shame, but not a surprise, if the MetO alienated amateurs
who have spent many years of their lives making diligent, accurate
manual obs.and supplying them voluntarily.

Yes, couldn't agree more with both your points - it would indeed be a
sad end to almost 150 years of voluntary observing if it were to come
about, but I suspect the decisions have been made and 'active station
attrition' is already in hand to bring this about.

By the time it's unmistakeable the effects on climatological networks
and the continuity of records will probably be irreparable.

A profoundly depressing thought!

Stephen Burt
Stratfield Mortimer, Berkshire