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Weather wall

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Summary

The Ecolinc Weather Wall was designed and installed by CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research. It is an ambient weather monitoring system consisting of weather monitoring instrumentation, a computer for logging data and internet communications hardware, linked to a large plasma screen that displays present and past local weather information.

Weather sensor instrumentation mounted at the top of a 10m mast in the Ecolinc wetland, provides information on wind speed and direction. A weatherproof instrument enclosure attached to the base of the weather mast provides housing for a barometric pressure sensor and data acquisition system. Attached to this enclosure is a solar radiation shield enclosing a ‘dry bulb’ temperature sensor and humidity sensor.  Adjacent to the mast is a tipping bucket rain gauge to monitor rainfall.

The Weather Wall displays rainfall, current air and chill temperatures, maximum and minimum temperatures for the last 24 hours, barometric pressure, wind speed and wind direction. A graphical presentation of the last 24 hours of wind speed, wind direction, barometric pressure rainfall, temperature and humidity is also shown. Geostationary meteorological satellite data and rainfall data from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) are displayed via the internet. Previous data can be easily accessed and analysed.

The Ecolinc Weather Wall links to onsite curriculum programs including Watching the Weather and Climate Watch. It is also a component of a variety of sustainability trails conducted by students at Ecolinc.


Online resources:

Ecolinc Weather Wall

CSIRO Weather Wall


The Climatedogs

Victoria is well known for its variable climate. From year to year, four global climate processes vary their behaviour, potentially resulting in wetter or drier seasons. Explore 'The Climatedogs' developed by the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and learn how these four drivers work by herding rain towards or away from Victoria.


Animation:

The Climatedogs