7-th, 2008 edition, Updated in 2010, World Meteorological
Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, WMO-No 0008, 2012, 715 pp.
The first edition of the Guide to Meteorological Instruments and Methods of Observation was published in 1954 and consisted of twelve chapters. The present, seventh, edition is a fully revised version which includes additional topics and chapters reflecting recent technological developments. Its purpose, as with the previous editions, is to give comprehensive and up-to-date guidance on the most effective practices for carrying out meteorological observations and measurements. The Guide describes most instruments, systems and techniques in regular use, from the simplest to the most complex and sophisticated, but does not attempt to deal with methods and instruments used only for research or experimentally. Furthermore, the Guide is not intended to be a detailed instruction manual for use by observers and technicians, but rather, it is intended to provide the basis for the preparation of manuals by National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) or other interested users operating observing systems, to meet their specific needs. However, no attempt is made to specify the fully detailed design of instruments, since to do so might hinder their further development. It was instead considered preferable to restrict standardization to the essential requirements and to confine recommendations to those features which are generally most common to various configurations of a given instrument or measurement system. Contents. Part I. Measurement of meteorological variables.
General.
Measurement of temperature.
Measurement of atmospheric pressure.
Measurement of humidity.
Measurement of surface wind.
Measurement of precipitation.
Measurement of radiation.
Measurement of sunshine duration.
Measurement of visibility.
Measurement of evaporation.
Measurement of soil moisture.
Measurement of upper-air pressure, temperature and humidity.
Measurement of upper wind.
Observation of present and past weather; state of the ground.
Observation of clouds.
Measurement of ozone.
Measurement of atmospheric composition. Part II. Observing Systems.
Measurements at automatic weather stations.
Measurements and observations at aeronautical meteorological stations.
Aircraft observations.
Marine observations.
Special profiling techniques for the boundary layer and the troposphere.
Rocket measurements in the stratosphere and mesosphere.
Locating the sources of atmospherics.
Satellite observations.
Radar measurements.
Balloon techniques.
Urban observations.
Road Meteorological Measurements. Part III. Quality assurance and management of observing systems.
Quality management.
Sampling meteorological variables.
Data reduction.
Testing, calibration and intercomparison.
Taining of instrument specialists.
List of contributors to the guide.
The first edition of the Guide to Meteorological Instruments and Methods of Observation was published in 1954 and consisted of twelve chapters. The present, seventh, edition is a fully revised version which includes additional topics and chapters reflecting recent technological developments. Its purpose, as with the previous editions, is to give comprehensive and up-to-date guidance on the most effective practices for carrying out meteorological observations and measurements. The Guide describes most instruments, systems and techniques in regular use, from the simplest to the most complex and sophisticated, but does not attempt to deal with methods and instruments used only for research or experimentally. Furthermore, the Guide is not intended to be a detailed instruction manual for use by observers and technicians, but rather, it is intended to provide the basis for the preparation of manuals by National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) or other interested users operating observing systems, to meet their specific needs. However, no attempt is made to specify the fully detailed design of instruments, since to do so might hinder their further development. It was instead considered preferable to restrict standardization to the essential requirements and to confine recommendations to those features which are generally most common to various configurations of a given instrument or measurement system. Contents. Part I. Measurement of meteorological variables.
General.
Measurement of temperature.
Measurement of atmospheric pressure.
Measurement of humidity.
Measurement of surface wind.
Measurement of precipitation.
Measurement of radiation.
Measurement of sunshine duration.
Measurement of visibility.
Measurement of evaporation.
Measurement of soil moisture.
Measurement of upper-air pressure, temperature and humidity.
Measurement of upper wind.
Observation of present and past weather; state of the ground.
Observation of clouds.
Measurement of ozone.
Measurement of atmospheric composition. Part II. Observing Systems.
Measurements at automatic weather stations.
Measurements and observations at aeronautical meteorological stations.
Aircraft observations.
Marine observations.
Special profiling techniques for the boundary layer and the troposphere.
Rocket measurements in the stratosphere and mesosphere.
Locating the sources of atmospherics.
Satellite observations.
Radar measurements.
Balloon techniques.
Urban observations.
Road Meteorological Measurements. Part III. Quality assurance and management of observing systems.
Quality management.
Sampling meteorological variables.
Data reduction.
Testing, calibration and intercomparison.
Taining of instrument specialists.
List of contributors to the guide.