Massachusetts Hydrometeorological Networks

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Regional Surface Meteorological Networks

CAMNET - The Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) operates this network of 6 stations with locations throughout the northeast US (1 in Massachusetts). The network provides 15-minute observations of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, precipitation, and visibility. Each station also has a webcam on site. For further information visit the CAMNET home page.

WJAR WeatherNet - WJAR-TV in Providence, Rhode Island operates this network of 91 stations located primarily at schools throughout Rhode Island, Massachusetts and 1 in New York (37 in Massachusetts). The network provides up to 1-minute observations of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, precipitation, and barometric pressure. For further information visit the WJAR network page. No map yet.
WTNH WeatherNet - WTNH-TV in Hartford, Connecticut operates this network of 19 stations located primarily at schools throughout Connecticut and 1 in Massachusettes. The network provides up to 1-minute observations of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, precipitation, and barometric pressure. For further information visit the WTNH network page. No map yet.
WBZ WeatherNet - WBZ-TV in Boston, Massachusettes this network of 124 stations located primarily at schools throughout Massachusettes, New Hampshire, and Vermont (107 in Massachusettes). The network provides up to 1-minute observations of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, precipitation, and barometric pressure. For further information visit the WBZ network page. No map yet.

State and Local Surface Meteorological Networks

Massachusetts Air Monitoring Network - The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Air Program Planning Unit operates this network of 18 stations with locations throughout the state of Massachusetts. The parameters vary by station with 8 providing hourly observations of winds and the other 10 providing air temperature, wind speed, wind direction, solar radiation, relative humidity, and barometric pressure. For further information visit the Air Program Planning Unit page.

Precipitation and Radar Networks

NOAA/National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Hourly Precipitation Data - NOAA/NCEP routinely develops a National Multi-sensor Hourly Precipitation Analysis (Stage II) data set from hourly radar precipitation estimates and from hourly gage reports. The gage data includes hourly observations from ~4000 gages across the US (45 in Massachusetts) collected by the NOAA River Forecast Centers and sent to NCEP. Further information on these data is available at: http://wwwt.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/mmb/ylin/pcpanl/.

NOAA/NWS Cooperative Observer 15-minute Precipitation Network - The NOAA/NWS routinely collects 15-minute observations of precipitation from Fisher-Porter and Universal rain gages operated by 2777 cooperative observers located throughout the US (20 in Massachusetts). These data are archived at NOAA/NCDC as data set TD 3260. For further information visit the NOAA/NCDC TD3260 page.

Integrated FLood Observing and Warning System (IFLOWS) Precipitation Network - The IFLOWS precipitation network is a collection of various state operated Automated Flood Warning System (AFWS) networks throughout the mid-Atlantic and northeastern portions of the United States. The network is comprised of 1530 precipitation stations that provide 15-minute observations of precipitation (5 in Massachusetts). These precipitation data are included as part of the NCEP Precipitation data set described above. For further information visit the AFWS home page.

Massachusettes Rainfall Program - The Massachusettes Department of Environmental Management (DEM) Office of Water Resources (OWR) maintains a network of 176 precipitation observations stations throughout Massachusettes. The on-line precipitation database includes monthly precipitation data, it is unknown if higher resolution data are available. For further information visit the Massachusettes Rainfall Program page.

Weather Surveillance Radar 1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) Network - The NOAA/NWS and the Department of Defence operate this network of 143 WSR-88D radars across the continguous US (1 in Massachusetts). The Level II data are the three meteorological base data quantities (reflectivitiy, mean radial velocity, and spectrum width) and are recorded at all NWS and most DOD sites. Level II data are then processed in order to create a number of meteorological analysis products known as Level III data. Level III data are recorded at the NWS sites. The Level III products included base reflectivity, base spectrum width, base velocity, composite reflectivity, echo tops, velocity azimuth display (VAD) wind profile, vertically integrated liquid (VIL), 1-hour precipitation, storm total precipitation, hail index overlay, mesocyclone overlay, severe weather probability overlay, storm structure, storm tracking information overlay, and tornadic vortex signature overlay. All Level II and III data are archived at NOAA/NCDC. For further information visit the NOAA/NCDC Radar Resources page at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/radar/radarresources.html or the NOAA Radar Operations Center at: http://www.roc.noaa.gov/.

Radiation and Flux Networks

Ameriflux Network - The Ameriflux network consists of 54 sites conducting long-term measurements of CO2, water and energy fluxes throughout the US (1 in Massachusetts). The typical observational frequency is 30 minutes. The parameters measured at each site vary, but Ameriflux has defined a core set of parameters that most sites collect, including fluxes of CO2, energy and water, basic meteorological and radiation parameters, and soil temperature and moisture. For further information visit the Ameriflux home page at: http://public.ornl.gov/ameriflux/Participants/Sites/Map/index.cfm.

Soil Networks

None at present

Hydrology Networks

United States Geological Survey (USGS) Streamflow Network - The USGS (part of the US Department of the Interior) operates this network of 7237 streamflow gages (71 in Massachusetts) at locations throughout the US. The network provides hourly or more frequent observations of stage (water level) from which discharge (flow) is comuputed using a stage-discharge rating relation. The rating is defined by occasional direct current-meter measurements of discharge. All data are available through the USGS and the district offices in each state. Many of these gages provide realtime data relayed via the GOES satellite data collection system. The realtime data are provisional data that have not been reviewed or edited. These realtime data may be subject to significant change and are not citeable until reviewed and approved by the USGS. Realtime data may be changed after review because the stage-discharge relationship may have been affected by: 1) backwater from ice or debris; 2) algal and aquatic growth in the stream; 3) sediment movement; and 4) malfunction of recording equipment. Each station record is considered provisional until the data are published. The data are usually published with 6 months of the end of the water year (1 October to 30 September). Data users are cautioned to consider carefully the provisional nature of the information before using it. For further information on the USGS stremflow network visit the USGS Water Resources of the United States page or the USGS Massachusetts District Office home page.

Upper Air Networks

NOAA/NWS Radiosonde Network Low Vertical Resolution Data - The NOAA/NWS typically releases radiosondes twice per day at 0000 and 1200 UTC at 69 locations throughout the US (1 in Massachusetts). During special weather situations the NWS can request to release additional radiosondes at off-times (e.g. 1800 UTC). The low resolution data is sent out over the Global Telecommunications System (GTS) and provides mandatory and significant level observations of pressure, altitude, temperature, dew point, wind speed, and wind direction. There are 3 types of radiosondes utilized within the US network, Vaisala, VIZ (or Sippican), and Microsonde. These data are archived by NOAA/NCDC and other organizations. For further information on the NWS Radiosonde network visit the NWS Upper-air Observations Program home page. A several year archive of GTS upper air data is available at the NOAA/FSL Radiosonde Database.

NOAA/NWS Radiosonde Network High Vertical Resolution Data - The same radiosonde locations mentioned in the previous data set also provide a 6-second vertical resolution data set that provides observations of pressure, temperature, altitude, relative humidity, and azimuth and elevation angles. UCAR/JOSS has developed software to derive 6-second vertical resolution winds from the angle data. These data are archived by NCDC and UCAR/JOSS.

Cooperative Agency Profiler (CAP) Network - The NOAA/FSL ingests data from wind profilers and RASS operated by a number of cooperating agencies. Most of these profilers are 915 MHz, but some are 449 or 50 MHz. Most provide hourly observations of wind speed and direction. The number and location of these can vary through time. As this is being written the network included 58 locations within the US (3 in Massachusetts). Most of the sites are along the US West Coast and in the northeastern US. For further information visit the CAP home page at: http://www.profiler.noaa.gov/jsp/aboutCap.jsp.

Ground Based Global Positioning System (GPS) Meteorology Demonstration Network (GPS-MET) - The NOAA/FSL ingests data from 323 GPS locations around the US operated by many different agencies (4 in Massachusetts). Typically each location provides 30-minute observations of integrated precipitatable water along with a number of surface meteorology parameters (air temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, etc). For further information visit the GPS-MET home page.

Aerosol Networks

Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) - AERONET is an optical ground-based aerosol monitoring network and data archive supported by NASA's Earth Observing System. The network hardware consists of identical automatic sun-sky scanning spectral radiometers owned by national agencies and universities. Data from this collaboration provides globally distributed (2 in Massachusetts) near real time observations of aerosol spectral optical depths, aerosol size distributions and precipitable water. For further information visit the AERONET home page.

Coastal Networks

Coastal-Marine Automated Network (C-MAN) - The National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) operates this network of 55 C-MAN stations with locations along coastlines throughout the US (1 in Massachusetts). The network typically provides hourly observations of air temperature, barometric pressure, wind speed, wind direction, and wind gust. Some stations also provide observations of sea water temperature, water level, waves, relative humidity, precipitation, and visibility. For further information visit the NDBC home page.

National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) Moored Buoy Network - The NDBC operates this network of 77 moored buoys with locations throughout the US coastal regions (4 off the coast of Massachusetts). The network typically provides hourly observations of air temperature, dew point, water temperature, barometric pressure, wind speed, wind direction, wave height, wave period, and swell. For further information visit the NDBC home page.

Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS) - The National Ocean Service (NOS) operates this network of 51 weather stations with locations within bays and harbors along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastlines (1 in Massachusetts). The network provides 15-minute observations of air temperature, wind speed, wind direction, barometric pressure, water temperature, and water level. For further information visit the PORTS home page .

Regional Surface Meteorological Networks
	Click on the maps for larger image


CAMNET - The Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) operates this network of 6 stations with locations throughout the northeast US (1 in Massachusetts). The network provides 15-minute observations of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, precipitation, and visibility. Each station also has a webcam on site. For further information visit the CAMNET home page.

WJAR WeatherNet - WJAR-TV in Providence, Rhode Island operates this network of 91 stations located primarily at schools throughout Rhode Island, Massachusetts and 1 in New York (37 in Massachusetts). The network provides up to 1-minute observations of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, precipitation, and barometric pressure. For further information visit the WJAR network page.	No map yet.
WTNH WeatherNet - WTNH-TV in Hartford, Connecticut operates this network of 19 stations located primarily at schools throughout Connecticut and 1 in Massachusettes. The network provides up to 1-minute observations of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, precipitation, and barometric pressure. For further information visit the WTNH network page.	No map yet.
WBZ WeatherNet - WBZ-TV in Boston, Massachusettes this network of 124 stations located primarily at schools throughout Massachusettes, New Hampshire, and Vermont (107 in Massachusettes). The network provides up to 1-minute observations of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, precipitation, and barometric pressure. For further information visit the WBZ network page.	No map yet.

State and Local Surface Meteorological Networks

Massachusetts Air Monitoring Network - The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Air Program Planning Unit operates this network of 18 stations with locations throughout the state of Massachusetts. The parameters vary by station with 8 providing hourly observations of winds and the other 10 providing air temperature, wind speed, wind direction, solar radiation, relative humidity, and barometric pressure. For further information visit the Air Program Planning Unit page.

Precipitation and Radar Networks

NOAA/National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Hourly Precipitation Data - NOAA/NCEP routinely develops a National Multi-sensor Hourly Precipitation Analysis (Stage II) data set from hourly radar precipitation estimates and from hourly gage reports. The gage data includes hourly observations from ~4000 gages across the US (45 in Massachusetts) collected by the NOAA River Forecast Centers and sent to NCEP. Further information on these data is available at: http://wwwt.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/mmb/ylin/pcpanl/.

NOAA/NWS Cooperative Observer 15-minute Precipitation Network - The NOAA/NWS routinely collects 15-minute observations of precipitation from Fisher-Porter and Universal rain gages operated by 2777 cooperative observers located throughout the US (20 in Massachusetts). These data are archived at NOAA/NCDC as data set TD 3260. For further information visit the NOAA/NCDC TD3260 page.

Integrated FLood Observing and Warning System (IFLOWS) Precipitation Network - The IFLOWS precipitation network is a collection of various state operated Automated Flood Warning System (AFWS) networks throughout the mid-Atlantic and northeastern portions of the United States. The network is comprised of 1530 precipitation stations that provide 15-minute observations of precipitation (5 in Massachusetts). These precipitation data are included as part of the NCEP Precipitation data set described above. For further information visit the AFWS home page.

Massachusettes Rainfall Program - The Massachusettes Department of Environmental Management (DEM) Office of Water Resources (OWR) maintains a network of 176 precipitation observations stations throughout Massachusettes. The on-line precipitation database includes monthly precipitation data, it is unknown if higher resolution data are available. For further information visit the Massachusettes Rainfall Program page.

Weather Surveillance Radar 1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) Network - The NOAA/NWS and the Department of Defence operate this network of 143 WSR-88D radars across the continguous US (1 in Massachusetts). The Level II data are the three meteorological base data quantities (reflectivitiy, mean radial velocity, and spectrum width) and are recorded at all NWS and most DOD sites. Level II data are then processed in order to create a number of meteorological analysis products known as Level III data. Level III data are recorded at the NWS sites. The Level III products included base reflectivity, base spectrum width, base velocity, composite reflectivity, echo tops, velocity azimuth display (VAD) wind profile, vertically integrated liquid (VIL), 1-hour precipitation, storm total precipitation, hail index overlay, mesocyclone overlay, severe weather probability overlay, storm structure, storm tracking information overlay, and tornadic vortex signature overlay. All Level II and III data are archived at NOAA/NCDC. For further information visit the NOAA/NCDC Radar Resources page at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/radar/radarresources.html or the NOAA Radar Operations Center at: http://www.roc.noaa.gov/.

Radiation and Flux Networks

Ameriflux Network - The Ameriflux network consists of 54 sites conducting long-term measurements of CO2, water and energy fluxes throughout the US (1 in Massachusetts). The typical observational frequency is 30 minutes. The parameters measured at each site vary, but Ameriflux has defined a core set of parameters that most sites collect, including fluxes of CO2, energy and water, basic meteorological and radiation parameters, and soil temperature and moisture. For further information visit the Ameriflux home page at: http://public.ornl.gov/ameriflux/Participants/Sites/Map/index.cfm.

Soil Networks

None at present

Hydrology Networks

United States Geological Survey (USGS) Streamflow Network - The USGS (part of the US Department of the Interior) operates this network of 7237 streamflow gages (71 in Massachusetts) at locations throughout the US. The network provides hourly or more frequent observations of stage (water level) from which discharge (flow) is comuputed using a stage-discharge rating relation. The rating is defined by occasional direct current-meter measurements of discharge. All data are available through the USGS and the district offices in each state. Many of these gages provide realtime data relayed via the GOES satellite data collection system. The realtime data are provisional data that have not been reviewed or edited. These realtime data may be subject to significant change and are not citeable until reviewed and approved by the USGS. Realtime data may be changed after review because the stage-discharge relationship may have been affected by: 1) backwater from ice or debris; 2) algal and aquatic growth in the stream; 3) sediment movement; and 4) malfunction of recording equipment. Each station record is considered provisional until the data are published. The data are usually published with 6 months of the end of the water year (1 October to 30 September). Data users are cautioned to consider carefully the provisional nature of the information before using it. For further information on the USGS stremflow network visit the USGS Water Resources of the United States page or the USGS Massachusetts District Office home page.

Upper Air Networks

NOAA/NWS Radiosonde Network Low Vertical Resolution Data - The NOAA/NWS typically releases radiosondes twice per day at 0000 and 1200 UTC at 69 locations throughout the US (1 in Massachusetts). During special weather situations the NWS can request to release additional radiosondes at off-times (e.g. 1800 UTC). The low resolution data is sent out over the Global Telecommunications System (GTS) and provides mandatory and significant level observations of pressure, altitude, temperature, dew point, wind speed, and wind direction. There are 3 types of radiosondes utilized within the US network, Vaisala, VIZ (or Sippican), and Microsonde. These data are archived by NOAA/NCDC and other organizations. For further information on the NWS Radiosonde network visit the NWS Upper-air Observations Program home page. A several year archive of GTS upper air data is available at the NOAA/FSL Radiosonde Database.

NOAA/NWS Radiosonde Network High Vertical Resolution Data - The same radiosonde locations mentioned in the previous data set also provide a 6-second vertical resolution data set that provides observations of pressure, temperature, altitude, relative humidity, and azimuth and elevation angles. UCAR/JOSS has developed software to derive 6-second vertical resolution winds from the angle data. These data are archived by NCDC and UCAR/JOSS.

Cooperative Agency Profiler (CAP) Network - The NOAA/FSL ingests data from wind profilers and RASS operated by a number of cooperating agencies. Most of these profilers are 915 MHz, but some are 449 or 50 MHz. Most provide hourly observations of wind speed and direction. The number and location of these can vary through time. As this is being written the network included 58 locations within the US (3 in Massachusetts). Most of the sites are along the US West Coast and in the northeastern US. For further information visit the CAP home page at: http://www.profiler.noaa.gov/jsp/aboutCap.jsp.

Ground Based Global Positioning System (GPS) Meteorology Demonstration Network (GPS-MET) - The NOAA/FSL ingests data from 323 GPS locations around the US operated by many different agencies (4 in Massachusetts). Typically each location provides 30-minute observations of integrated precipitatable water along with a number of surface meteorology parameters (air temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, etc). For further information visit the GPS-MET home page.

Aerosol Networks

Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) - AERONET is an optical ground-based aerosol monitoring network and data archive supported by NASA's Earth Observing System. The network hardware consists of identical automatic sun-sky scanning spectral radiometers owned by national agencies and universities. Data from this collaboration provides globally distributed (2 in Massachusetts) near real time observations of aerosol spectral optical depths, aerosol size distributions and precipitable water. For further information visit the AERONET home page.

Coastal Networks

Coastal-Marine Automated Network (C-MAN) - The National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) operates this network of 55 C-MAN stations with locations along coastlines throughout the US (1 in Massachusetts). The network typically provides hourly observations of air temperature, barometric pressure, wind speed, wind direction, and wind gust. Some stations also provide observations of sea water temperature, water level, waves, relative humidity, precipitation, and visibility. For further information visit the NDBC home page.

National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) Moored Buoy Network - The NDBC operates this network of 77 moored buoys with locations throughout the US coastal regions (4 off the coast of Massachusetts). The network typically provides hourly observations of air temperature, dew point, water temperature, barometric pressure, wind speed, wind direction, wave height, wave period, and swell. For further information visit the NDBC home page.

Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS) - The National Ocean Service (NOS) operates this network of 51 weather stations with locations within bays and harbors along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastlines (1 in Massachusetts). The network provides 15-minute observations of air temperature, wind speed, wind direction, barometric pressure, water temperature, and water level. For further information visit the PORTS home page .