Weather Stations: Does it affect the forecast if you move the weathet station 1-2m in altitude?

Question

Also, if possible, are La Crosse thermometer/humidity sensors snow and frost-proof?

Answer 1

I suspect that the question you meant was does it affect the readings of the station instruments by raising the one or two meters? In response to that question that answer is yes, but not very much. Based on standard lapse rate tables for both temperature and dew point, the change would be only fractions of a degree. For measurements of visibility, cloud height, precipitation (both amount and type), there would be virtually no change. In the case of pressure, there is a decrease of 0.001 inch of mercury (approximately but very, very close) for every foot you raise the instrument. So the bottom line is, yes, it would change the readings but not noticeably. All weather instruments that I have ever worked with are snow and frost proof. They just are not shock proof (don't drop them!)

Answer 2

A forecast is a prediction of what the weather will be in the surrounding area for a period of time. The location of the weather station does not change the forecast very much or no one would watch the Weather Channel. They are in Atlanta Georgia.

Does changing the altitude change the local reported weather variables? Yes. For every 1,000 feet in altitude you lose approximately 3 degrees Fahrenheit. You also change relative humidity. Changing the altitude of the station does not change the temp forecast for the areas around the station because they can approximate the difference and apply it to the surrounding areas in a forecast. We do just the opposite for predicting freezing levels in the sky based on surface temperatures on the ground in the area we will fly through. Obviously we get some direct measurements to verify this but we can estimate at what altitude we would expect icing to occur.

When you watch the weather at night don't they show a lower temperature for the outlaying areas to a city? Sometimes the temp forecast is for a low o35 degrees but expect frost in low lying areas. (This is the same thing they do for a weather station reporting from a different altitude than the surrounding area)

Most weather reporting stations have the relative humidity and the temperature sensors in a louvered box. They are not directly exposed to the elements so they are snow proof but probably not frost proof but being inside the box would probably not be affected very often by frost altering the temp by insulating the thermometer if the temp dropped even more. The reason for being in the box is to prevent direct heating of the temperature sensors by the sun or water evaporation to avoid errors.

You can call the LaCrosse weather station directly and they will tell you what type of equipment they use and answer your questions directly.

Answer 3

There will not be much effect on temperature and humidity sensors but the pressure value at that place which is reduced to sea level may not be accurate.
The pressure value recorded by different stations at different altitudes are reduced to sea level(ie calculating what would be the pressure if the station were to be at sea level) for comparison purposes and locating the pressure systems.This is a theoratically calculated value which deviates from the correct value as the altitude increases.Shifting the station to a higher place will definitly affect the mean sea level pressure which is a very important factor required for forecasting.