Data from the storage module is downloaded at one week intervals. It is anchored in concrete 4 feet deep, and at the top is a lightning rod to protect the weather instruments in case of a lightning strike. The tower has 3 guy wires to help support it, and is hinged at the bottom so that the instruments at the top of the tower can be easily lowered close to the ground for maintenance or calibration. Also, the maximum wind speeds are recorded. This device is coupled to a precision low-torque potentiometer.
Wind direction is measured by recording the direction the wind is coming from.
A small sensor is located on an arm extending out horizontally from the tower, and measures solar radiation. This instrument senses changes in sun intensity with a photovoltaic detector, and measures changes in cloud cover, and other things in the atmosphere such as smoke or air pollution. This instrument is located on the south side of the tower, so tower poles do not cause shadows to fall on the sensor at any time of the day. This essential parameter is measured with a platinum resistance temperature detector, a very small, very sensitive instrument. It is located inside a white 12-plate radiation shield, to protect the instrument from direct sunlight.