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  **NATIONAL                                                                        
  ROUTINE                                                                           
  METEOROLOGICAL                                                                    
  MONITORING                                                                        
  NETWORKS**                                                                        

  **Network**      **Lead       **Number of     **Initiated**   **Measurement       **Location of Information and/or Data**
                   Agency**     Sites**                         Parameters**        

  ASOS \--         NOAA         \~1000          1992 (replaced  Continuous          <http://www.nws.noaa.gov/asos/pdfs/aum-toc.pdf>
  Automated                     (supplemented   routine surface measurements of:    
  Surface                       by military     observations    Wind Direction and  
  Observing System              weather         collected       Wind Speed;         
                                observation     manually at 260 Visibility; Runway  
                                sites)          Weather Service Visual Range; Type, 
                                                facilities)     intensity and       
                                                                amount of rain,     
                                                                snow, etc.;         
                                                                Obstructions due to 
                                                                fog, mist, etc.;    
                                                                Cloud Height and    
                                                                Amount; Ambient     
                                                                Temperature; Dew    
                                                                Point Temperature;  
                                                                Pressure; Lightning 
                                                                detection;          
                                                                Automated, manual,  
                                                                and plain language  
                                                                remarks on special  
                                                                weather conditions  
                                                                (depending on level 
                                                                of service); and    
                                                                Additive and        
                                                                automated           
                                                                maintenance data on 
                                                                precipitation       
                                                                amount, max/min     
                                                                temperature,        
                                                                pressure tendency,  
                                                                etc.                

  Cooperative      NOAA         \~11,400        1890            24-hour maximum and <http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/coop/coopmod.htm>
  Observer Program                                              minimum             
                                                                temperatures,       
                                                                Liquid equivalent   
                                                                of precipitation,   
                                                                snowfall, snow      
                                                                depth, and Other    
                                                                special phenomena   
                                                                such as days with   
                                                                thunder, hail, etc. 

  SLAMS \-- State  EPA          \~3000          1978            Wind direction and  <http://www.epa.gov/ttn/airs/airsaqs/aqsweb/aqswebhome.htm>
  and Local                                                     speed, Temperature, 
  Ambient                                                       Precipitation,      
  Monitoring                                                    Relative humidity   
  Stations                                                                          

  Remote Automated DOA          \~2200          \~1978          Wind direction and  <http://www.fs.fed.us/raws/raws101.shtml>
  Weather Stations                                              speed,              
                                                                Precipitation,      
                                                                Pressure,           
                                                                Temperature,        
                                                                Relative humidity,  
                                                                Fuel moisture and   
                                                                temperature         

  NOAA Profiler    NOAA         35 (plus \~100  1992            Vertical profiles   <http://www.profiler.noaa.gov/npn/>
  Network (and                  CAP sites)                      of wind direction   
  Cooperative                                                   and speed (and      
  Agency                                                        vertical profiles   
  Profilers)                                                    of temperature at   
                                                                RASS sites)         

  Upper Air        NOAA         102 in North    1937            Measurements of     <http://www.ua.nws.noaa.gov/net-info.htm>
  Stations                      America,                        temperature,        
  (Weather                      Pacific                         relative humidity,  
  Balloons)                     Islands, and                    wind direction and  
                                the Caribbean                   speed, and          
                                                                altitude/height at  
                                                                selected pressure   
                                                                levels.             

  Forecast Systems NOAA         \~4000          2001 (routinely Wind direction,     <http://acweb.fsl.noaa.gov/FAQ.html#variables>
  Laboratory                    commercial      available       wind speed and      
  Aircraft                      aircraft        database)       temperature         
  Communications                                                reported for        
  Addressing and                                                various altitudes   
  Reporting System                                              at which aircraft   
                                                                typically operate   

  National Doppler NOAA         158             1990 (national  Base Reflectivity,  <http://www.srh.noaa.gov/radar/radinfo/radinfo.html>
  Radar Sites                                   radar network   Composite           
                                                originated      Reflectivity,       
                                                prior to 1960)  One-Hour            
                                                                Precipitation, and  
                                                                Storm Total         
                                                                Precipitation       

  National         Commercial   100+            1989            Detection of        <http://www.nwstc.noaa.gov/METEOR/Lightning/detection.htm>
  Lightning                                                     cloud-to-ground     
  Detection                                                     lightning flashes   
  Network                                                       at distances up to  
                                                                400 km              

  National         NOAA         2 GOES          1994 (earlier   Vertical profiles   <http://www.goes.noaa.gov/>
  Environmental                 satellites 2    satellite       of temperature,     
  Satellite, Data,              POES satellites systems         moisture, and wind; 
  and Information                               replaced)       visible and         
  Service                                                       infrared imagery of 
                                                                clouds; water vapor 
                                                                imagery             
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