METEOROLOGICAL RECORDS 



A FIFTY-YEAR SUMMARY, 1889-1938 

 By C. I. GUNNESS, Professor of Engineering 



Location and Equipment 



The meteorology observatory is located on the third floor of Stockbridge 

 Hall. It was moved to this location from South College on June 12, 1928, where 

 it had been located since 1889. The records up to June 12, 1928, therefore, 

 were taken at the old location; since June 12, 1928, they have been taken 

 at the new location. 



In the old location the observatory was in the tower of South College, 

 about 50 feet above the ground. The base of the tower is 237 feet above sea 

 level and the top of the tower is 72 feet above the ground. The exposure is 

 good in all directions. The anemometer, wind vane, and sunshine recorder 

 were mounted from 3 to 5 feet above the tower, with the recording ap' 

 paratus in the room below. The thermometer shelter and rain gauges were 

 on the campus about 300 feet southwest from the tower and on slightly 

 lower ground. The rain gauges were about 2 feet above ground and 232 feet 

 above sea level. 



In the present location the anemometer, wind vane, and sunshine re- 

 corder are located from 4 to 7 feet above the roof of Stockbridge Hall. The 

 roof is 60 feet above the ground with good exposure. The thermometer 

 shelter and rain gauges are about 300 feet west from Stockbridge Hall. 



The same equipment is used in the new location as was used in the old, 

 except as noted below. The standard barometer is of United States Weather 

 Bureau pattern. A Draper mercury-column type recording barometer and a 

 Friez electrical sunshine recorder are used. A four-cup anemometer was 

 used until January 1, 1930, when a threccup anemometer was installed. 

 The records of sunshine, wind velocity, and rainfall are recorded on a triple 

 register. A United States Weather Bureau gauge is used in determining 

 precipitation; and a tipping-bucket electrical-recording gauge, in determining 

 the time and rate. The latter gauge is now located on the roof of the Engi- 

 neering building, and serves to measure melted snow as well as rain. The 

 wind direction is recorded on a Draper anemoscope. A Fries hygro-thermo- 

 graph was installed in April 1929, in place of the Draper recording thermometer 

 used until that time. 



On January 1, 1904, the time of making observations was changed from 

 7 a.m., 2 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., so as to conform with the 

 practice of the United States Weather Bureau. This change should be noted 

 in comparing the dew point and relative humidity before and after that date. 

 Other data are probably not affected by the change. 



