STATION RECORD SHEET

# SYNOP or CLIMATE/SYNOP RECORD SHEET

**Station Name:** Grootfontein

**Date Station Established:** 1913-11-01 as a rainfall station **Synop
No:** 68014

1980- 01 digitized records , this is temperature and other parameters.

**Latitude:** 19deg 34min SOUTH **Longitude:** 18deg 05min EAST

**Height above MSL:** 1469m **Point used: Met** Enclosure

**Observer:** Michael Simalumba

**Phone No**: +(264) 67 242509

**Postal Address: Address for policy matters:**

P.O.Box 318 Namibian Meteorological Service

Grootfontein P/Bag 13224

Namibia Windhoek

Namibia.

# Location Indicator:

The station is located about 300m opposite the Railway line and about
100m west of Grootfontein railway station.

# Remarks: 

## The station is situated in a residential area where one of the houses is used as an office. The instruments are installed inside the yard behind the house and the yard is fenced with hedge all round. This environment is not suitable for meteorological observation as the surrounding buildings and hedge have an effect on all the observed parameters.

##  

# Instructions for locating station by road:

##  The station is at the Western end of Town off the road from Otavi along the Captain Lombaard Street. See sketch. 

**Synop reporting times**: 0300z, 0600Z 0900z, 1200Z, 1500z and 1800z;
everyday' except that on Saturdays the 1500z observations are not
taken..

# Metar reporting times: Metars are reported hourly, however the 1600 and 1700hrs observations are skipped. The metar reports on Saturdays are not taken for 1300hrs, 1400hrs, 1500hrs and 1700hrs.

# Transmission of reports: All reports are sent to Windhoek by facs and telephone, otherwise when telephone lines are out of service cell phones are used.

**Inspections by:** D. F. Molotsi and E. Magagwa **Date:** 04/10/06

**Returns furnished**: Data in the diaries (log books) are transcribed
on to monthly climate return forms and sent to the National
Meteorological Head quarters in Windhoek.

.

#  Annual supplies: The consumables normally supplied are, thermometers, pens, ink and wicks.

# Non- Instrumental (books, charts, scales etc):. All charts, and daily log books

## **MANUAL RAINGAUGE:** 

**Type:** 5 inch copper standard rain-gauge

**Purpose:** climate

**Inst Date:** not known

**Height of rim above MSL:** 120cm

**Glass measure type and number:** 10cm

**Location/Remarks:** In the Met enclosures close to the hedge hence the
hedge causes an obstruction to this instrument**.**

### AUTOMTATIC RAINGAUGE

**Type:** daily

**No:**

**Chart No:**

**Height of rim above ground level:** 120cm

**Clock:** Daily spring clockwork mechanism S/N 1150860

**Drum:**

**Location/Remarks:** Met enclosure exposure is no good installed near
hedge.

## **THERMOMETER SCREEN**:

**Type:** standard screen

**Support:** metal stand

**Inst date:** not known

**Location/Remarks:** Installed in the Met enclosure and not well
exposed as it is too near to the building.

**THERMOMETERS: TYPE: MAKE & S/ NO: CERTIFICATE**

**Dry bulb** sheathed CW .Price & Co 13503/91 no

**Wet bulb** sheathed CW. Price & Co 9742/88 no

**Maximum** sheathed CW. Price & Co 2246/05 no.

**Minimum** sheathed CW. Price & Co 2270/05 no.

**Grass minimum** n/a

**5cm earth** n/a

**10cm earth** n/a

**20cm earth** n/a

**30cm earth** n/a

**100cm earth** n/a

**Remarks:** The earth thermometers are not available.

## **REMOTE INDICATING ISTRUMENTS**

**Type:**

**Location of sensor:**

**Location of indicator:**

## BAROMETER

**Type:** PA11 digital barometer

**Maker:** Vaisala

# No: PTB220ACA2A3

**Installed:** Records are not available.

**Location:** Observatory

# New or old convention: Old

# Attached thermometer in Degrees:

# Height of cistern above MSL:

# Gravity of station:

# When and how height obtained:

# Correction cards for:

# Remarks: Although the installation date is known the observer indicated that he does not recall if the instrument has ever been calibrated. 

## 

## BAROGRAPH

**Type:** Micro Barograph

**Maker:** Thies Clima

**No:** 3.0811.10.000

**Installed:** The instrument was installed in September 2006.

**Clock:** Daily Spring Clockwork Mechanism.

**Chart no::** No chart Number

# Remarks: The chart number is not given as they are manufactured locally. The instrument is in a good condition and well maintained

# . 

## **SUNSHINE RECORDER**

**Height above ground:**

**Installed:**

# Location/mounting/remarks

This instrument is not available at this station.

## **RADIATION RECORDER**

# Sensor Make and Type: 

# Sensor Make and Type:

# Sensor Make and Type:

# Location of sensors:

# Recorder Type:

# Recorder location:

# Solar Panel No:

# Remarks: The instrument is not available at this station.

## **HORIZON PROFILE**

# Date prepared:

# Observation Point:

# Remarks:

## **EVOPORIMETER**

**Type:** class A evaporation pan

**Gauge Type:** ruler scale

# Dipstick No: not available

**Height of Rim above ground level:** 22cm

**Location/Remarks:** met enclosure

## **THERMOGRAPH**

**Type:** daily

**Maker:** Thies Clima

**Date of installation:** The instrument was installed on September
2006.

# Clock: spring clockwork mechanism

**Chart No:** 205088

## **EARTH THERMOGRAPH**

Type: The instrument is not available. .

# Maker:

# Installed Date:

# Clock:

# Chart No:

# Location of Sensors:

# Remarks: This instrument is not used at this station

## **HYGROGRAPH**

**Type:** daily

**Maker:** Thies Clima

**Installed Date:** September 2006

# Clock: Spring Clockwork mechanism

## Chart No: 205088

**Remarks:** A thermo-hygrograph is placed in the Stevenson screen in
the met enclosure. The number of the chart given above is for a weekly
chart however the clock for the instrument has been set to work as a
daily clock.

## **CLOUD SEARCHLIGHT**

**Type**: The instrument is not available. .

# Baseline:

# Location of Searchlight:

# Stand Construction:

# Observation Point:

# Alidade Type:

# Switch Type:

# Remarks:

## **CUP COUNTER ANEMOMOTER**

**Type:**

**Make:**

**Date Installed:** not known

# Can station take only an Angled faced unit

**Height of head above ground:** 2m

**Location:** enclosure

## **ANEMOMOTER INSTRUMENTS**

# Cup Counter:

# Cup Contact:

# Cup Generator:

# Wind Vane:

# Recorder, speed:

# Recorder, combined:

# Indicators Located:

# Recorder Type:

# Chart Drive:

# Recorder Location:

# Resistance Box Location:

# Power Transformer Location:

# Power point location:

# Remarks:

## **MAST**

**Type:**

**Height of Head above Ground Level:**

# Boom orientated 

**Remarks,** There is no conventional wind system at this station
however a pressure plate has been installed on a (6m) six meter mast.
This instrument is being used as a source of wind information. (wind
speed and direction).

## **ADDITIONAL INSTRUMENTS:**

There are no additional instruments at this station.

# General Exposure of Station:

The instruments at this station are not well exposed. The station is in
a residential area where there are houses in the vicinity which do not
give the station enough exposure. This situation is not in accordance
with international standards.

# Exposure of the Instrument enclosure:

The instruments are not well exposed. The site is not clear of
obstructions. The yard is fenced with hedge which does not give
instruments sufficient exposure causes wind eddies. This situation has
an adverse effect on the observations. The details of exposure are as
per attached photos.

**Local Effects**: Nearness to the buildings, hedge around the fence,
dust from the road in the vicinity.