The basic AWS units measure air temperature, wind speed, and wind direction at a nominal height of 3 meters above the surface.
Air pressure is measured at the height of the electronics enclosure.
Some units measure relative humidity at 3 meters above the surface and the air temperature difference between 3 meters and 0.5 meters above the surface at the time of installation. The AWS units are grouped together based on the area and are usually related to a single meteorological experiment. Stearns, et al. The AWS units are located in arrays for meteorological experiments and at other sites for operational purposes. Any one AWS may contribute to several experiments and all contribute to operational purposes, especially for preparing weather forecasts for aircraft flights to and from New Zealand and within Antarctica.