New weather station for Porirua

Porirua residents will soon receive more reliable weather forecasts with the imminent installation of an automated weather station on Elsdon Park. Currently Porirua’s weather forecasts are based on data gathered from Mana Island where the current weather station is located.

“We’ve known for a long time that Porirua’s climate is warmer and sunnier than what was being reported – now we can have a true reflection of our weather,” said Mayor Nick Leggett who approached the MetService earlier this year.

“Like people everywhere, Porirua residents follow our weather, online with smartphones and media websites and on television every night. When we move outside in warm or cold weather, what we feel often doesn't echo what's reported to us. Many people have approached me over the years to find out exactly how our temperature is monitored, where and by whom.”

After discovering the Porirua weather station was not based at the heart of the city, Mayor Leggett put in train a process to change that. At the same time NIWA approached the Council requesting a site to record changes in the long-term weather of Porirua. The Council partnered with both NIWA and the MetService enabling one weather station to serve both organisations which also helped to reduce costs.

“Soon we will have a fully functioning automated weather station operated and maintained by the MetService meaning Porirua’s weather will be reported accurately across a range of media.”

The station will measure and record a range of weather data including wind speed and direction, air and soil temperature, humidity, rainfall and warmth.

The Council is collaborating with the MetService, NIWA, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Wellington Water and Wellington Rural Fire Authority. Each organisation will benefit in different ways from the data.

The $46,000 cost to install the station will be met largely by NIWA ($20,750) with PCC, GWRC and WWL each contributing $7500 and the Wellington Rural Fire Authority contributing $5000.

“I understand that this is the first automated weather station in the country with multiple users on a shared site. Its location on Elsdon Park provides an added opportunity for our local colleges to use live weather data to help their students have a better understanding of climatology and meteorology locally,” Mayor Leggett said.

ends

© Scoop Media