Columbia Weather Systems

The new battery back-up option provides continuous power to the weather station system in the event of an electrical outage. The 12VDC battery comes in a NEMA enclosure and can power a non-heated Orion LX Weather Station for up to three days. It is available for most weather station configurations. Part number: 8395-1 Enclosure size: 12" x 10" x 6" Enclosure: 16 gauge galvanized steel with polyester power finish Industry Standards: NEMA/EEMAC Type 3R Battery: 28 AHr Sealed Lead Acid Rechargeable Power input: 88 - 264VAC Power output: 12VDC

As noted by our May News brief on Swinerton Renewable Energy, weather monitoring for solar power projects has been a growing market for Columbia Weather Systems over the past few years. With this experience, we have put together three weather station systems to meet various monitoring requirements. All systems feature the Weather MicroServer in a weatherproof enclosure with panel temperature and solar radiation sensor(s). • Solar 1 Weather Stations add an Orion all-in-one sensor unit with ultrasonic wind direction and speed measurements, a highly-accurate impact rain sensor, capacitive relative humidity, temperature and barometric pressure readings. No moving parts enhances ease of use and durability. • Solar 2 Weather Stations feature the ease of the Vela all-in-one sensor package with reliable, mechanical wind sensors, temperature and humidity sensors in a radiation shield, and a solid state barometric pressure sensor. • Solar 3 Weather Stations feature simply the Weather Micro

Columbia Weather Systems offers software and hardware customization for applications whose weather monitoring requirements aren’t met by our standard systems. US Ecology Idaho is just such a case. The company’s Grand View, Idaho facility treats and disposes hazardous waste, non-hazardous industrial waste and low-activity radioactive material. Their permit requires weather monitoring with one-hour rolling wind speed and direction average. No problem. “We are pleased with the work CWS has done for us and plan to use them in the future for any weather monitoring needs we may have,” says Grae Harper, Environmental Engineer. Click for more information

The new Vela 420™ weather station provides 4-20 mA signal communication interface, combining the affordability and reliability of mechanical wind sensors with the ease of use of an all-in-one sensor module. Weather station data can be monitored with PLC plant software such as Wonderware®. The Vela 420 measures wind speed and direction, temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure. Tipping bucket rain gauge is optional. Click here for more information on the Vela 420 Weather Station.

CWS has added a GSM SMS interface to the Weather MicroServer. Weather station users can now text “weather” to their GSM-equipped weather station and receive a text message weather report. This feature was developed in collaboration with the United Nations. One of their applications is for incoming pilots. The new feature utilizes a Sierra Wireless AirLink GX400 modem. The Weather MicroServer can be used with any CWS weather station. “We are pleased to be able to respond to advancing technologies and customer requirements with this new feature,” says CWS president Nader Khoury.

Swinerton Renewable Energy has selected weather stations from Columbia Weather Systems to provide meteorological data to their proprietary SCADA system at solar project sites. The construction company offers turn-key solar power solutions for utility-scale and distributed generation projects. Joe Brotherton, manager of the technical services team, reports that Swinerton’s operations and maintenance management offers performance guarantees based on site analysis. Monitoring weather conditions is vital to optimizing performance. Swinerton’s weather stations include the Orion sensor module plus a panel temperature sensor and two solar radiation sensors – one at plane of array and the other on a tracker. The system is connected through the Weather MicroServer . “We like the price point, always get a response, and it integrates easily into our SCADA system,” Brotherton says. On a recent Swinerton project, Columbia Weather integrated the newly released Hukseflux SR20 solar sensor. SR2

Columbia Weather Systems offers a new universal mounting adapter to attach weather sensors to existing towers or alternate masts, even those with multiple instruments. Can be used vertically or horizontally. Aluminum construction. Includes three clamps for mast of up to 3” diameter. Shown below with the new Pulsar 600 Weather Station. Click for Weather Station Mounting Options

The new Pulsar™ Weather Station from Columbia Weather Systems is a critical component in the latest Mobile Weather Lab by Integrated Microwave Technologies (IMT), an industry leader in advanced digital microwave video systems. IMT will be showcasing their latest broadcast vehicle technology at the NABShow National Association of Broadcasters event in April. The Mobile Weather Lab vehicle is a functional live broadcasting truck complete with video cameras, large monitor, wireless broadband Internet and digital microwave connectivity. The weather station system includes a Weather Display console from Columbia Weather. The weather lab uses the Pulsar 600 Weather Station with Doppler radar precipitation, temperature, humidity, pressure, and ultrasonic wind measurements. The new Pulsar line of weather stations offers the ease of all-in-one sensor module with various meteorological parameters to choose from. All configurations include an electronic compass for automatic orientation of

Weather Master™ Software, for use with any weather station from Columbia Weather Systems, can be translated into almost any language for a small one-time engineering charge. The three main display screens were recently published in German for a Swiss customer. For more information, click: Weather Master Software

This recent article from Fire Apparatus magazine describes one of our key public safety markets: "Special Operations Command (SOC) vehicles have become nerve centers at complex fire scenes and natural disaster calls, serving to link all related communications, direct operations, function as rehab centers, and even issue weather reports." Click here to read the rest of the article. Click here for information on Mobile Weather Stations.

Thanks to Gabi Cohen of Sigmatek for sending this photo of the CWS Weather Display mounted in the FAA Emergency Communications Vehicle on display at the Air Traffic Control Association Expo last fall. An OEM customer, Sigmatek incorporates Orion Weather Stations into their mobile air traffic control towers. Click here for information on our Weather Display.

Like our F acebook page for a chance to win a copy of George Miller's book Lewis and Clark's Northwest Journey "Weather Disagreeable!" All new likes by February 1 will be entered and the winner notified via Facebook. If you already like us, simply comment on the Facebook post to be entered in the drawing.