Jamaica Beach Weather Observatory Station Information Record Updated: September 1, 2006 STATION DATA: Station Name..................... Jamaica Beach Weather Observatory Location......................... Jamaica Beach, Texas County........................... Galveston County Climatic Region.................. Upper Texas Coast NWS Station Identifier........... JBHT2 NWS Station Index No............. 41-4531-8 Latitude......................... 29º 12' N (29º11'48" N) Longitude........................ 94º 59' W (94º59'18" W) Elevation (ground)............... 4 ft. MSL Elevation (barometer)............ 16 ft. MSL Elevation (tide gauge)........... 0.0 FT MLLW (-0.5 MSL) Station exposure................. Sandy, sod covered ground adjacent to coastal salt marsh on western part of Galveston Island along West Bay and 1¼ miles from Gulf of Mexico Date station established......... December 1, 1990 Official NWS Station since....... January 1, 2002 WEATHER OBSERVER CERTIFICATION: Observer Name.................... James R. O'Donnel, Jr. NWS Certificate of Authority..... 121431 Date of Issuance................. March 4, 1988 Certified Ratings................ Aviation Observations (1988) Synoptic Observations (1988) ASOS Augmentation (1995) METAR Observations (1996) METEOROLOGICAL INSTRUMENTATION: I. AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE Primary instrument............... Nimbus Digital Ultra Temperature Manufacturer..................... Sensor Instruments Co., Inc. Model Number..................... N/A Serial Number.................... U2B7AONO1 Elevation (above ground)......... 6 ft. Range............................ -40.0º to 140.0ºF Resolution....................... 0.1ºF Accuracy......................... ± 0.2ºF Exposure......................... NWS MMTS Shelter Backup instrument #1............. Capricorn II Digital Temperature Manufacturer..................... Hinds Instruments, Inc. Model Number..................... 8130 Serial Number.................... 8843D Elevation (above ground)......... 6 ft. Range............................ -67.0º to 140.0ºF Resolution....................... 0.1ºF Accuracy......................... ± 1.0ºF (20º to 105ºF) Exposure......................... NWS MMTS Shelter Backup instrument #2A............ NWS Maximum Thermometer Manufacturer..................... NovaLynx Corporation Model Number..................... 210-4425 Serial Number.................... N/A Elevation (above ground)......... 6 ft. Range............................ -38.0º to 130.0ºF Resolution....................... 0.1ºF Accuracy (> 0ºF)................. ± 0.3ºF Accuracy (< 0ºF.................. ± 0.5ºF Exposure......................... NWS Cotton Region Shelter Backup instrument #2B............ NWS Minimum Thermometer Manufacturer..................... NovaLynx Corporation Model Number..................... 210-4429 Serial Number.................... N/A Elevation (above ground)......... 6 ft. Range............................ -50.0º to 120.0ºF Resolution....................... 0.1ºF Accuracy (> 0ºF)................. ± 0.4ºF Accuracy (< 0ºF.................. ± 1.0ºF Exposure......................... NWS Cotton Region Shelter Backup instrument #3............. NWS Sling Psychrometer Manufacturer..................... NovaLynx Corporation Model Number..................... 225-570 Serial Number.................... N/A Elevation (above ground)......... 6 ft. Range............................ -20.0º to 120.0ºF Resolution....................... 0.1ºF Accuracy (> 0ºF)................. ± 0.3ºF Accuracy (< 0ºF.................. ± 0.5ºF Exposure......................... NWS Cotton Region Shelter II. RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND DEW POINT Primary instrument............... Nimbus Digital Relative Humidity Manufacturer..................... Sensor Instruments Co., Inc. Model Number..................... N/A Serial Number.................... H8C0H3N01 Elevation (above ground)......... 6 ft. Range............................ 0 to 100% RH Resolution....................... 0.5% RH Accuracy......................... ± 3.0% RH Exposure......................... NWS MMTS Shelter Backup instrument................ NWS Sling Psychrometer Manufacturer..................... NovaLynx Corporation Model Number..................... 225-570 Serial Number.................... N/A Elevation (above ground)......... 6 ft. Range............................ -20.0º to 120.0ºF Resolution....................... 0.1ºF Accuracy (> 0ºF)................. ± 0.3ºF Accuracy (< 0ºF.................. ± 0.5ºF Exposure......................... NWS Cotton Region Shelter III. PRECIPITATION Primary instrument............... NWS Standard Rain Gauge (SRG) Manufacturer..................... Qualimetrics Model Number..................... 260-2511 Serial Number.................... 301 U.S. Govt Contract No............ 50WCNA706036 Gauge height..................... 27 inches Gauge diameter................... 8 inches Range............................ 0.00 to 22.00 inches Resolution....................... 0.01 of an inch Measurement method............... Graduated stick Elevation (above ground)......... 17 ft. Recording instrument #1.......... NWS Tipping Bucket Rain Gauge Manufacturer..................... Belfort Instruments, Inc. Model Number..................... 5-405 Serial Number.................... 301 Gauge height..................... 38 inches Gauge diameter................... 12 inches Total capacity................... Unlimited Resolution....................... 0.01 of an inch Elevation (above ground)......... 17 ft. Precipitation indicator #1....... Electromechanical counter Manufacturer..................... The Veeder-Root Co., Inc. Model Number..................... 150704 090E Serial Number.................... 1Y-72229-1 Total capacity................... 0.00 to 99.99 inches Resolution....................... 0.01 of an inch Rain gauge connected............. NWS Tipping Bucket Recording instrument #2.......... Tipping Bucket Rain Gauge #2 Manufacturer..................... Texas Electronics, Inc. Model Number..................... TR-525I-R2 Serial Number.................... 28220-201 Gauge dimensions................. 10 inches Gauge diameter................... 6 inches Total capacity................... Unlimited Resolution....................... 0.01 of an inch Elevation (above ground)......... 17 ft. Precipitation indicator #2....... Nimbus Digital Precipitation Recorder Manufacturer..................... Sensor Instruments Co., Inc. Model Number..................... N/A Serial Number.................... P1B7A0N01 Total range...................... 0.00 to 99.99 inches Resolution....................... 0.01 of an inch Rain gauge connected............. Tipping Bucket #2 Precipitation indicator #3....... HOBO Event Recorder Manufacturer..................... Onset Computer Corporation, Inc. Model Number..................... H07-002-04 Serial Number.................... 563906 Total range...................... 0.00 to 80.00 inches Resolution....................... 0.01 of an inch Instrument connected............. Tipping Bucket #2 IV. WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION Primary instrument............... NWS F420C Wind System Manufacturer..................... Electric Speed Indicator Co., Inc. Model Number..................... F420C-M4 Serial Number.................... 3034 Elevation (above ground)......... 43 ft. (13.1 meters) Range............................ 0 to 100 knots (0 to 115 mph) Resolution....................... 0.5 knots Accuracy (direction)............. ± 3 degrees Accuracy (speed)................. ± 1 knot Primary wind recorder............ NWS Wind Speed Chart Recorder Manufacturer..................... Esterline-Angus Model Number..................... 601C Serial Number.................... 202474 Range (normal)................... 0 to 100 knots (0 to 115 mph) Range (double)................... 0 to 200 knots (0 to 230 mph) Resolution....................... 0.5 knots Backup instrument #2............. Capricorn II Digital Wind Manufacturer..................... Hinds Instruments, Inc. Model Number..................... 8130 Serial Number.................... 8843D Elevation (above ground)......... 40 ft. (12.2 meters) Range............................ 0 to 125 mph sustained, higher gusts Resolution....................... 1 mph Accuracy (5 to 20 mph)........... ± 1 mph Accuracy (20 to 125 mph)......... ± 5% of reading Backup wind recorder............. DC Voltage Data Logger Manufacturer..................... AEMC Instruments Model Number..................... L430 Serial Number.................... 12522 Range (wind speed - knots)....... 0 to 10 volts DC (2 to 220 knots) Range (wind speed - mph)......... 0 to 10 volts DC (2 to 253 mph) Resolution....................... 0.1 knots (0.1 mph) V. BAROMETRIC PRESSURE Station pressure elevation....... 16 ft. MSL Actual barometer elevation....... 16 ft. MSL Primary instrument............... NWS Precision Aneroid Manufacturer..................... Kollsman Instrument Corporation Model Number..................... 1315-01 Serial Number.................... 1957 Range............................ 870 to 1060 mb (25.69 to 31.30 in.) Resolution....................... 0.1 millibar Accuracy......................... ± 1.0 millibars Recording instrument #1.......... NWS Microbarograph Manufacturer..................... Belfort Instruments, Inc. Model Number..................... 5-800A Serial Number.................... 2549 U.S. Govt Contract No............ 40WNCA602384 Range............................ 965 to 1050 millibars Resolution....................... 0.1 millibars Accuracy......................... ± 0.1 millibars Recording instrument #2.......... Nimbus Digital Barometer Manufacturer..................... Sensor Instruments Co., Inc. Model Number..................... N/A Serial Number.................... B2C1H3N01 Range............................ 26.50 to 31.50 inches Resolution....................... 0.01 inch Accuracy......................... ± 0.03 inches Backup instrument #1............. NWS Altimeter Setting Indicator Manufacturer..................... Kollsman Instrument Corporation Model Number..................... 1130-030 Serial Number.................... 2253 U.S. Govt Contract No............ GS-00S-17306 Range............................ 28.00 to 31.00 inches Resolution....................... 0.005 inch Accuracy......................... ± 0.03 inches Backup instrument #2............. Capricorn II Digital Barometer Manufacturer..................... Hinds Instruments, Inc. Model Number..................... 8130 Serial Number.................... 8843D Range............................ 27.00 to 32.00 inches Resolution....................... 0.01 inch Accuracy......................... ± 0.15% Comparison standard instrument... NWS Fortin-type mercurial barometer Manufacturer..................... H.J. Green Co., Brooklyn, NY Model Number..................... 1120 Serial Number.................... 41271-WB-Z Range............................ 23.60 to 32.70 inches Resolution....................... 0.001 inch Accuracy......................... ± 0.01 inch VI. TIDE LEVEL (WEST BAY AT JAMAICA BEACH, TX) Primary instrument............... Staff Gauge Manufacturer..................... Ben Meadows Company Model Number..................... 6JS-113484, 6JS-113486, 6JS-113488, 6JS-113490 Serial Number.................... N/A Zero point....................... 0.00 ft. MLLW Zero point elevation............. -0.50 ft. MSL Scale............................ -3.33 ft. to 13.33 ft. MLLW Resolution....................... 0.01 ft.