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Windy on the east side.
- aaron_wright
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Last recorded summit wind average was 100 mph and after that nothing. Last recorded max was 110 mph, not unusual for that site, but then nothing. I'd guess gust to 50 in town and sustained winds of 20-30 mph.
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- jwplotz
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- garyabrill
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It's really windy in Wenatchee right now and generally nasty. It appears the wind might have wrought havoc on the summit telemetry site at Mission Ridge- www.nwac.us/data/OSOMSR
Last recorded summit wind average was 100 mph and after that nothing. Last recorded max was 110 mph, not unusual for that site, but then nothing. I'd guess gust to 50 in town and sustained winds of 20-30 mph.
It looked like the same thing to me. The sucker may have been destroyed.
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- Amar Andalkar
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Last recorded summit wind average was 100 mph and after that nothing.
It looks like it was just a data glitch which corrupted the data file, the file looked totally screwy for several hours today with multiple (2 or 3) lines output for each hour after 8am, and the 7am line missing.
The data looks better now, either someone fixed it manually or it fixed itself. But the 8am line is still screwed up. It's pretty obvious that the "100" which is in the Wind Avg column at 8am belongs in the RH % 6740 column, while the "37" listed there is actually the Temp F 6740.
So the average winds only reached 70 mph and never reached 100 mph today, it's just an erroneous value which belongs in the RH column. Since the winds decreased substantially at many other sites around 8-9am too (Crystal, Snoqualmie, White Pass, Baker), it seems likely that the winds at Mission Ridge calmed a lot right then too, and a data glitch just happened to occur at the same time. Perhaps power-line related, maybe a voltage spike or drop.
3-30-2011
Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center
Mission Ridge Ski Area, Washington
MM/DD Hour Temp Temp Temp RH RH Wind Wind Wind Hour Total 24 Hr Total
PST F F F % % Avg Max Dir Prec. Prec. Snow Snow
6740' 5300' 4600' 6740' 5300' 6740' 6740' 6740' 5300' 5300' 5300' 5300'
3 29 1700 25 33 34 100 95 27 40 265 0 0 0 67
3 29 1800 25 32 33 100 97 27 42 261 0 0 0 68
3 29 1900 25 31 33 100 99 28 39 264 .01 .01 0 67
3 29 2000 25 31 33 100 100 28 38 256 0 .01 0 67
3 29 2100 25 31 33 100 100 27 42 255 0 .01 0 66
3 29 2200 25 31 33 100 100 33 59 261 0 .01 0 67
3 29 2300 26 32 33 100 100 38 58 269 .01 .02 0 68
3 30 0 27 33 33 100 100 48 71 269 .01 .03 1 68
3 30 100 29 34 36 100 100 55 101 273 .02 .05 2 68
3 30 200 30 35 39 100 100 63 94 273 .02 .07 6 68
3 30 300 31 36 40 100 100 68 109 275 .03 .1 6 67
3 30 400 32 36 41 100 100 68 107 274 .03 .13 5 67
3 30 500 32 36 41 100 100 69 102 274 0 .13 5 67
3 30 600 31 36 40 100 100 70 110 276 0 .13 5 67
3 30 700 37 40 100 .01 .14 5 67
3 30 800 -99 37 40 37 100 100 -99 -99 .04 .18 4 67
3 30 900 36 35 39 100 100 17 33 186 .06 .24 4 67
3 30 1000 36 36 39 100 100 17 35 192 .01 .25 4 66
3 30 1100 37 37 40 99 99 21 41 191 0 .25 4 66
3 30 1200 37 37 40 96 96 21 42 191 0 .25 4 65
3 30 1300 38 38 41 95 95 22 38 187 0 .25 4 65
3 30 1400 38 38 41 93 93 21 39 184 0 .25 3 65
3 30 1500 38 38 40 92 92 19 35 177 0 .25 3 64
This is the corrected line for 8am:
3 30 800 37 37 40 100 100 -99 -99 -99 .04 .18 4 67
P.S. The data file went back on the fritz as I was writing this post, now outputting multiple lines for 1600:
3 30 1600 38 38 40 91 90 15 31 169 0 .25 3 64
3 30 1600 -99 -99 -99 -99 -99
3 30 1600 -99 38 91 -99 -99
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- Amar Andalkar
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3-31-2011
Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center
Mission Ridge Ski Area, Washington
MM/DD Hour Temp Temp Temp RH RH Wind Wind Wind Hour Total 24 Hr Total
PST F F F % % Avg Max Dir Prec. Prec. Snow Snow
6740' 5300' 4600' 6740' 5300' 6740' 6740' 6740' 5300' 5300' 5300' 5300'
3 30 1100 37 37 40 99 99 21 41 191 0 0 4 66
3 30 1200 37 37 40 96 96 21 42 191 0 0 4 65
3 30 1300 38 38 41 95 95 22 38 187 0 0 4 65
3 30 1400 38 38 41 93 93 21 39 184 0 0 3 65
3 30 1500 38 38 40 92 92 19 35 177 0 0 3 64
3 30 1600 38 38 40 91 90 15 31 169 0 0 3 64
3 30 1600 -99 38 40 -99 90 -99 -99 -99 0 0 3 64
3 30 1600 -99 38 40 38 89 91 -99 -99 0 0 3 64
3 30 1700 38 39 40 90 86 13 28 167 0 0 3 64
3 30 1700 -99 39 40 -99 89 -99 -99 -99 0 0 3 64
3 30 1700 -99 38 40 38 91 90 -99 -99 0 0 3 64
3 30 1800 38 39 42 89 91 13 32 166 0 0 3 64
3 30 1800 -99 40 43 -99 95 -99 -99 -99 0 0 3 64
3 30 1800 -99 41 44 38 96 89 -99 -99 0 0 3 63
3 30 1900 39 41 44 86 96 18 35 173 0 0 3 63
3 30 1900 -99 41 43 -99 92 -99 -99 -99 0 0 3 63
3 30 1900 -99 41 43 39 89 86 -99 -99 0 0 3 63
3 30 2000 39 40 42 88 93 18 34 176 0 0 2 62
3 30 2000 -99 39 41 -99 93 -99 -99 -99 .01 .01 2 63
3 30 2000 -99 38 41 39 96 88 -99 -99 0 .01 2 62
3 30 2100 38 38 40 91 97 16 34 177 .02 .03 2 62
3 30 2100 -99 37 40 -99 96 -99 -99 -99 0 .03 2 62
3 30 2100 -99 37 39 38 94 91 -99 -99 0 .03 2 61
3 30 2200 39 91 18 39 181
3 30 2200 -99 -99 -99 -99 -99
3 30 2200 -99 39 91 -99 -99
3 30 2300 40 94 12 28 169
3 30 2300 -99 -99 -99 -99 -99
3 30 2300 -99 40 94 -99 -99
3 31 300 33 100 78 123 275
3 31 400 33 100 78 119 275
3 31 500 32 100 82 121 275
3 31 600 32 100 77 117 274
3 31 700 31 100 73 114 276
3 31 800 31 100 60 109 295
3 31 900 30 100 53 103 299
In trying to read this and make sense of it, it's important to realize that the data from each sub-site (4600, 5300, 6740) comes in separately, then is combined into a single file with the timestamp for each row derived from one of those sub-sites (in this case, the 6740 is giving the time in each row). So the data from the 4600 and 5300 locations is just fine, but it's being listed in rows which have incorrect times.
So I think the telemetry actually should look like this (it was a pain-in-the-ass to move the values around, using combinations of text editor and spreadsheet for different parts of the process):
3-31-2011
Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center
Mission Ridge Ski Area, Washington
MM/DD Hour Temp Temp Temp RH RH Wind Wind Wind Hour Total 24 Hr Total
PST F F F % % Avg Max Dir Prec. Prec. Snow Snow
6740' 5300' 4600' 6740' 5300' 6740' 6740' 6740' 5300' 5300' 5300' 5300'
3 30 1100 37 37 40 99 99 21 41 191 0 0 4 66
3 30 1200 37 37 40 96 96 21 42 191 0 0 4 65
3 30 1300 38 38 41 95 95 22 38 187 0 0 4 65
3 30 1400 38 38 41 93 93 21 39 184 0 0 3 65
3 30 1500 38 38 40 92 92 19 35 177 0 0 3 64
3 30 1600 38 38 40 91 90 15 31 169 0 0 3 64
3 30 1700 38 38 40 90 90 13 28 167 0 0 3 64
3 30 1800 38 38 40 89 89 13 32 166 0 0 3 64
3 30 1900 39 39 40 86 86 18 35 173 0 0 3 64
3 30 2000 39 39 40 88 89 18 34 176 0 0 3 64
3 30 2100 38 38 40 91 91 16 34 177 0 0 3 64
3 30 2200 39 39 42 91 91 18 39 181 0 0 3 64
3 30 2300 40 40 43 94 95 12 28 169 0 0 3 64
3 31 0 41 44 96 0 0 3 63
3 31 100 41 44 96 0 0 3 63
3 31 200 41 43 92 0 0 3 63
3 31 300 33 41 43 100 89 78 123 275 0 0 3 63
3 31 400 33 40 42 100 93 78 119 275 0 0 2 62
3 31 500 32 39 41 100 93 82 121 275 .01 .01 2 63
3 31 600 32 38 41 100 96 77 117 274 0 .01 2 62
3 31 700 31 38 40 100 97 73 114 276 .02 .03 2 62
3 31 800 31 37 40 100 96 60 109 295 0 .03 2 62
3 31 900 30 37 39 100 94 53 103 299 0 .03 2 61
It's best to try to do these corrections mentally, to figure out which values go where as you're viewing a slightly-screwed up file which still has mostly-valid data. It gets easier to tell good data from suspect data with practice.
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- wickstad
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- garyabrill
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- Amar Andalkar
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- aaron_wright
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- Amar Andalkar
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Does anyone know what sort of anemometer snotel sites use? I know standard anemometers can get iced up causing strange data glitches but I assume snotel sites use something special? (this doesn't look like icing since the temperature lines are missing)
This was answered by Garth (one of the three NWAC forecasters) in an earlier thread this year:
www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboardi...59.msg83315#msg83315
He doesn't mention it there, but most of the NWAC wind gauges are heated. Those sites which are not heated are noted with the line "Wind sensors unheated and may rime", or "Wind sensors not heating and may rime" if the heater exists but is not working.
By the way, the NWAC telemetry sites (like Mission Ridge) are not "snotel" sites. The word snotel properly refers only to the SNOTEL network run by NRCS throughout the western states (www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/), which have very different types of sensors than NWAC sites. The SNOTEL sites all have an antifreeze-filled pillow to measure the weight of snow-water-equivalent sitting on it, along with a thermometer and a storage precipitation gauge which holds an entire year's precip. Almost all of the sites now have a snowdepth sensor too (most were belatedly added during the 2003-2008 period, 10-20 years after the SNOTEL sites were installed), but very few of them have wind sensors or humidity (less than 10% of SNOTEL sites, but all NWAC sites).
So I talked to the avalanche forecaster on pro patrol at Mission yesterday, he said the top of the mast that holds the anemometer blew over in Wednesday's wind storm.
Interesting info. It looks like they may have fixed it though? The wind data looks very normal and fully-functional over the last 2+ days at Mission Ridge, since 0300 on March 31. Quite odd that they would be fixing anything at 3am, that's too early for ski patrol -- and it's not possible to fix anything in 120 mph winds. Is there more to the story?
There was another different kind of glitch yesterday, the three hours of wind max over 100 mph (1300-1500 on April 1) appear to be spurious, based on the much lower winds just before and after. No high winds were recorded on any other NWAC site near that time either.
4-2-2011
Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center
Mission Ridge Ski Area, Washington
MM/DD Hour Temp Temp Temp RH RH Wind Wind Wind Hour Total 24 Hr Total
PST F F F % % Avg Max Dir Prec. Prec. Snow Snow
6740' 5300' 4600' 6740' 5300' 6740' 6740' 6740' 5300' 5300' 5300' 5300'
3 30 0 27 33 33 100 100 48 71 269 .01 .07 1 68
3 30 100 29 34 36 100 100 55 101 273 .02 .09 2 68
3 30 200 30 35 39 100 100 63 94 273 .02 .11 6 68
3 30 300 31 36 40 100 100 68 109 275 .03 .14 6 67
3 30 400 32 36 41 100 100 68 107 274 .03 .17 5 67
3 30 500 32 36 41 100 100 69 102 274 0 0 5 67
3 30 600 31 36 40 100 100 70 110 276 0 0 5 67
looks like the mast blew over after 0600, all data is fine before that
3 30 700 37 40 100 .01 .01 5 67
3 30 800 37 37 40 100 100 .04 .05 4 67
3 30 900 36 35 39 100 100 17 33 186 .06 .11 4 67
3 30 1000 36 36 39 100 100 17 35 192 .01 .12 4 66
3 30 1100 37 37 40 99 99 21 41 191 0 0 4 66
3 30 1200 37 37 40 96 96 21 42 191 0 0 4 65
3 30 1300 38 38 41 95 95 22 38 187 0 0 4 65
3 30 1400 38 38 41 93 93 21 39 184 0 0 3 65
3 30 1500 38 38 40 92 92 19 35 177 0 0 3 64
3 30 1600 38 38 40 91 90 15 31 169 0 0 3 64
3 30 1700 38 38 40 90 90 13 28 167 0 0 3 64
3 30 1800 38 38 40 89 89 13 32 166 0 0 3 64
3 30 1900 39 39 40 86 86 18 35 173 0 0 3 64
3 30 2000 39 39 40 88 89 18 34 176 0 0 3 64
3 30 2100 38 38 40 91 91 16 34 177 0 0 3 64
3 30 2200 39 39 42 91 91 18 39 181 0 0 3 64
3 30 2300 40 40 43 94 95 12 28 169 0 0 3 64
3 31 0 41 44 96 0 0 3 63
3 31 100 41 44 96 0 0 3 63
3 31 200 41 43 92 0 0 3 63
data from 6740' corrupted for 0800 and 1600-2300 on 3-30, corrected version listed above
no data from 6740' from 000-200 on 3-31
3 31 300 33 41 43 100 89 78 123 275 0 0 3 63
3 31 400 33 40 42 100 93 78 119 275 0 0 2 62
3 31 500 32 39 41 100 93 82 121 275 .01 .01 2 63
3 31 600 32 38 41 100 96 77 117 274 0 .01 2 62
3 31 700 31 38 40 100 97 73 114 276 .02 .03 2 62
3 31 800 31 37 40 100 96 60 109 295 0 .03 2 62
3 31 900 30 37 39 100 94 53 103 299 0 .03 2 61
3 31 1000 30 37 39 100 93 50 85 301 0 .03 2 61
3 31 1100 30 37 39 100 88 44 83 305 0 .03 2 61
3 31 1200 30 39 39 100 85 39 68 306 0 .03 2 60
3 31 1300 31 40 40 100 79 38 79 308 0 .03 2 60
3 31 1400 30 39 39 100 81 34 71 313 0 .03 2 60
3 31 1500 30 38 39 100 81 31 62 313 0 .03 2 59
3 31 1600 30 38 39 100 79 24 58 317 0 .03 2 59
3 31 1700 30 38 38 100 78 18 56 321 0 .03 2 60
3 31 1800 29 36 36 100 85 10 32 329 0 .03 2 59
3 31 1900 27 35 36 100 86 20 41 316 0 .03 2 59
3 31 2000 26 34 35 100 88 14 35 324 0 .03 2 59
3 31 2100 26 34 35 100 90 10 23 328 0 .03 2 59
3 31 2200 26 33 33 100 91 5 23 334 0 .03 2 59
3 31 2300 25 32 32 100 91 11 23 326 0 .03 2 59
4 1 0 25 32 33 100 91 10 27 329 0 .03 2 59
4 1 100 23 32 32 100 84 9 25 329 0 .03 2 59
4 1 200 23 30 30 100 83 6 15 337 0 .03 2 59
4 1 300 22 31 30 100 79 21 40 312 0 .03 2 59
4 1 400 22 32 30 100 74 22 35 315 0 .03 2 59
4 1 500 23 33 31 100 74 24 42 313 0 0 2 59
4 1 600 23 33 31 100 72 32 54 303 0 0 2 59
4 1 700 25 33 33 100 87 36 52 292 0 0 2 59
4 1 800 28 37 35 100 84 35 59 298 0 0 2 58
4 1 900 29 39 39 100 85 33 60 276 0 0 2 59
4 1 1000 30 39 35 100 85 33 46 236 0 0 2 58
4 1 1100 31 39 37 100 85 34 47 237 0 0 2 59
4 1 1200 32 41 41 100 82 32 46 241 0 0 0 58
4 1 1300 34 42 42 100 83 -6999 135 242 0 0 -2 57
4 1 1400 34 41 43 100 85 -6999 137 239 0 0 -1 57
4 1 1500 34 41 43 100 87 -6999 119 239 0 0 -1 57
4 1 1600 34 41 42 100 88 35 50 240 0 0 -1 56
4 1 1700 35 41 41 100 88 34 52 239 0 0 -2 57
4 1 1800 34 40 41 100 87 37 51 240 0 0 -1 57
4 1 1900 33 40 38 100 88 38 52 240 0 0 -1 57
4 1 2000 32 38 36 100 97 34 55 243 .02 .02 -1 57
4 1 2100 30 36 35 100 100 32 48 253 .02 .04 -1 56
4 1 2200 28 34 35 100 100 28 46 261 .04 .08 -1 57
4 1 2300 27 33 34 100 100 33 54 263 .02 .1 -1 56
4 2 0 26 33 33 100 100 34 58 265 0 .1 -1 56
4 2 100 25 32 32 100 100 32 50 253 0 .1 -1 56
4 2 200 24 31 31 100 99 24 47 249 0 .1 -1 56
4 2 300 23 30 29 100 96 14 23 274 0 .1 -1 56
4 2 400 21 29 27 100 93 16 29 296 0 .1 -1 56
4 2 500 19 28 26 100 88 19 34 274 0 .1 -1 56
4 2 600 18 26 27 100 88 22 41 265 0 .1 -1 56
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- ryanb
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I used to analyze data for wind energy potential assessment and it is not unheard of to have a tower break over half way up but still keep sending data...the sensors on the lower part of the tower will give normal readings but the sensors (speed and direction) on the upper part can read very high or low depending on which way the wind is blowing. Many of the assessment towers are in places that aren't very accesible in winter so we would see things like this happen in the data but not be able to verify/repair what happened till spring.
Hard to tell what is going on with only one sensor though.
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- aaron_wright
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He said he fixed it on Thursday I believe.Interesting info. It looks like they may have fixed it though?
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