Forrest lambert
I know alot of people chase with anemometers but does anyone chase with rain gauges and temperature sensor's?? or does a person chase with the anemometer?
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Alan Broerse
EF2
chase with sensors
I do use a variety of sensors on most chases.....A rain gauge is handy when covering heavy rain events...but you must stop the car for a period of time...record the rainfall thru a self emptying gauge and clear the memory. I chase for a TV station and use the rain gauge maybe 1 chase in 10.....now on the other hand....temp and dew points on every trip out. Even though there are mesonet sites everywhere..I like to know when I reach the deep inflow region of a developing mesocyclone....or when a storm goes outflow dominant and the temps drop 10 degrees. Those sensors help me read the storm....and as always anemometer and wind direction...helps me detect when winds are (backing)...(inflow) or outflow..A lot of chasers just stick their hand out the window to check that...but once golfball hail hits your hand...or lightning stirkes the telephone pole 40 feet away...you tend to keep inside from then on
I do use a variety of sensors on most chases.....A rain gauge is handy when covering heavy rain events...but you must stop the car for a period of time...record the rainfall thru a self emptying gauge and clear the memory. I chase for a TV station and use the rain gauge maybe 1 chase in 10.....now on the other hand....temp and dew points on every trip out. Even though there are mesonet sites everywhere..I like to know when I reach the deep inflow region of a developing mesocyclone....or when a storm goes outflow dominant and the temps drop 10 degrees. Those sensors help me read the storm....and as always anemometer and wind direction...helps me detect when winds are (backing)...(inflow) or outflow..A lot of chasers just stick their hand out the window to check that...but once golfball hail hits your hand...or lightning stirkes the telephone pole 40 feet away...you tend to keep inside from then on
Forrest lambert
for me, i just use the temp the rain gauge and the anemometer, im thinking of just using the anememeter alone, everything i have is davis, and the temp sensor is in a radation shield, wish i had the dew points on my davis.
John Diel
EF5
At one time, I did the rain guage thing. However, since it was the tilt/bucket type, it made it very hard to get "real" readings from it. Forget using it while your moving. The bucket bounces around so much that you get 5 inch readings on a sunny day!
There are newer sensors out there now that utilize an impact sensing routine, though I don't know how accurate they are.
Another thing to think about while you have all the nice frilly bells and whistles on top, they are all subject to wind resistance! Make darn sure your mounting is secure. The other thing your subject to are the suicidal meadowlarks (and other various flying creatures). Hitting one of those at 70 mph is going to do something. Usually it's a mass of guts and feathers to clean out, but occasionally it results in structural damage to the equipment not designed to be hit with stuff like this.
I've pretty much done away with the Sensors though. I've found that about the only one I really miss is the Anemometer. So I'm looking for a reasonable solution there. Other than that. The temp sensor on my vehicle works just fine and if I really need more detailed information, there's nothing like pulling off the side and pulling out the ancient sling psychrometer. That gets more stares that even a fully decked out storm mobile!
There are newer sensors out there now that utilize an impact sensing routine, though I don't know how accurate they are.
Another thing to think about while you have all the nice frilly bells and whistles on top, they are all subject to wind resistance! Make darn sure your mounting is secure. The other thing your subject to are the suicidal meadowlarks (and other various flying creatures). Hitting one of those at 70 mph is going to do something. Usually it's a mass of guts and feathers to clean out, but occasionally it results in structural damage to the equipment not designed to be hit with stuff like this.
I've pretty much done away with the Sensors though. I've found that about the only one I really miss is the Anemometer. So I'm looking for a reasonable solution there. Other than that. The temp sensor on my vehicle works just fine and if I really need more detailed information, there's nothing like pulling off the side and pulling out the ancient sling psychrometer. That gets more stares that even a fully decked out storm mobile!
Forrest lambert
At one time, I did the rain guage thing. However, since it was the tilt/bucket type, it made it very hard to get "real" readings from it. Forget using it while your moving. The bucket bounces around so much that you get 5 inch readings on a sunny day!
There are newer sensors out there now that utilize an impact sensing routine, though I don't know how accurate they are.
Another thing to think about while you have all the nice frilly bells and whistles on top, they are all subject to wind resistance! Make darn sure your mounting is secure. The other thing your subject to are the suicidal meadowlarks (and other various flying creatures). Hitting one of those at 70 mph is going to do something. Usually it's a mass of guts and feathers to clean out, but occasionally it results in structural damage to the equipment not designed to be hit with stuff like this.
I've pretty much done away with the Sensors though. I've found that about the only one I really miss is the Anemometer. So I'm looking for a reasonable solution there. Other than that. The temp sensor on my vehicle works just fine and if I really need more detailed information, there's nothing like pulling off the side and pulling out the ancient sling psychrometer. That gets more stares that even a fully decked out storm mobile!
i dont know if you remember extra-tropical noel in november, capecod where i live got blasted by 85 MPH winds, i drove around all day with the lab and nuttin happend to anything even with strong head winds she didnt blow off, everything stayed intact, the biggest gust of wind that i clocked was 95 MPH, even on a sunny day testing my lab out when i first made it everything worked fine.
David Drummond
Member
I had that problem, then I reoriented the bucket to where it tips front to back instead of side to side. Now I might get .01 for a day of driving around. I guess that could vary by how aggressive you are and braking and takeoff, I am pretty conservative.
Forrest lambert
hey david, how did u mount the anemometer on ur van? what kind of post is it?
David Drummond
Member
It's a metal frame I made from electrical conduit.
Forrest lambert
ohh, if ur out chasing can u fold it down and take the anemometer off just incase it hails?
David Drummond
Member
LOL No. The last thing I am going to do is get out in the hail and take down the anemometer. It's designed to lay down during times I am NOT chasing. This is my daily driver vehicle.
The last thing I am worried about in the hail is a set of $10 windcups.
Forrest lambert
OK you know what? i just saw ur website and saw how you lay it down, LOL my bad, did u mount the poles to the roof with bolts i like that setup, looks good
David Drummond
Member
OK you know what? i just saw ur website and saw how you lay it down, LOL my bad, did u mount the poles to the roof with bolts i like that setup, looks good
Yes, it's bolted to the roof.
Gerard Jebaily
EF2
I chase with a davis tipping bucket rain gauge. Like David, i oriented mine front to back and i dont have any problem with it tipping while in motion. It obviously wont take any good measurements while in motion but it does very well for itself when stopped. I fabricated a steel carriage that bolts into the existing roof rack tracks so the whole station is completely removable and adjustable forwards and backwards. The whole thing is very sturdy and stable. I snap a few pic’s of it and post later
