in which, err, site do we trust ???

so, there's the old standby for paradise information at<br>www.nwac.us/~nwac/products/OSOPVC

and the new nifty webcam at
www2.nature.nps.gov/air/WebCams/parks/moracam/moracam.htm
which also specifies on the right hand site temps and precip for the previous day.

methinks the temp recordings are wildly off! webcam reports 50-57F while nwac reports 38-43F. i know which one i want to believe but i do wonder which is the accurate one !! anybody have any ideas ???

amounts of precipitation are kinda different as well, but not quite so off. webcam reports .35 inches for yesterday, nwac approx .89.

I agree that this is very disturbing. It'll probably continue to disturb me until I drive up to Paradise with my skis and confirm that temps are in the upper 30's at the trailhead, with 7 inches of day-old fresh snow on the Muir snowfield. If the visibility is adequate I might even be sufficiently disturbed to take a quick confirmatory run...or maybe two.<br><br>I'll continue to believe the NWAC telemetry; it's usually served me well, and the current data agrees with other comparable telemetry sites (Sunrise, Chinook, Crystal, etc.). When in doubt, ignore the outliers.<br><br>I assume that the webcam was sited for webcam purposes, not data collection. Maybe it's taking temperature readings out in the "sun" or in an alcove which collects solar energy, or against a heated building. Maybe it's taking wind readings near the ground or in a sheltered spot. I don't know what to make of the variation in precipitation, but there's probably a similar explanation.

The Web cam site temps are from park headquarters, not Paradise, hence the link to Paradise conditions. Anyone else wish the camera was pointed north?

ah, mystery solved...yes, it does say on the page in large friendly letters that the readings are taken at the park hq...note to self: get new glasses!

Hmmm. Glasses, yes.