Columbia Weather Systems

When mounted on a vehicle, this miniature infrared surface temperature sensor is an economical way to monitor road conditions. This particular unit will be mounted on a television broadcast vehicle, and integrated with a Magellan MX500 Weather Station monitoring meteorological data with a rack-mounted Weather Display Console and WeatherMaster™ Software. This IR temp sensor is also used by our customers in automobile testing and racing to monitor surface conditions. Have questions? Send us an email at info@columbiaweather.com or call 503-629-0887. Infrared Surface Temperature Sensor

Dr. Michelle Hawkins I t is International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a day that celebrates all women and girls who participate in research and innovation in the STEM sciences. Today our spotlight is on Dr. Michelle Hawkins, Chief of Severe, Fire, Public, and Winter Weather Services branch at the National Weather Service (NWS). Dr. Hawkins has had a fascination with science from a young age, often mesmerized by the severe winter storms she witnessed while growing up in Chicago, IL. Participating in any science-related activity she could while in grade school, she went on to major in Chemistry in college and earned a PhD in atmospheric sciences from her alma mater, Howard University.   In her current position at the NWS, Dr. Hawkins oversees her branch and partners with federal public safety services, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and wildland fire support to help minimize health impacts of severe weather-related events. In addition, she regularly...

“ I maging the world with lidar, photography, and aerial cinema” is the theme for GEO1 . From a hangar located near Los Angeles, Calif., they offer services including lidar, high resolution imaging, and geo-spatial analysis. Orion Weather Station and Solar Radiation Sensor CEO Ron Chapple recently expressed appreciation for the free firmware upgrade to their Weather MicroServer, and sent a couple nice photos of their Orion Weather Station installation which includes a separate solar radiation sensor. “The station has worked perfectly since installation,” he noted. He added that their weather station “enhances our business” in these three ways: 1. Location-specific weather data is provided for pilots landing helicopters at their hangar. 2. Freely sharing weather data enables good business relationships with both clients and competitors.   3. The weather data is integrated into deliverables when acquiring engineering-grade lidar within 15 miles of their facility on electric util...

Dr. Charles E. Anderson W e are celebrating the start of Black History Month by highlighting the achievements of Charles E. Anderson, the first African American to earn a PhD in Meteorology.   After graduating from Lincoln University with a degree in Chemistry, Charles career began when he was assigned to the Tuskegee Army Airfield weather detachment in 1943. “My background in math and chemistry seemed to be exactly the kind of background that they were looking for in meteorologists, so I applied,” he said in a 1992 interview for the American Meteorological Society Oral History Project. As a squadron Weather Officer in the Army, Charles trained fighter pilots across the U.S. before retiring from duty in 1948. In 1960, he received a PhD in Meteorology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and became Professor of Space Science and Engineering at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. It was the beginning of a long career in science education and research. Charles is also...