Local forecast by
"City, St" or zip code |
Search by city or zip code. Press enter or select the go button to submit request |
|
|
The Tower Base
(group 1)
| In this first picture of the construction series...an
area just behind the office has been surveyed, cleared of desert
shrubs, compacted, and made ready for the construction of the tower
base. In the background are buildings that are part of the Dona Ana
County regional airport...with the runway just beyond the buildings.
The shadow in the foreground is cast by the weather service office. |
 |
 |
Here, the tower base form has been constructed with
plenty of rebar re-enforcements. Strong and plentiful supports are
used for the wall because of the massive weight of the concrete and
the height of the form. |
| Pouring of concrete into the tower base form.
Countless concrete mixer truck made the track out to the site from
El Paso...15 miles away...from sunup to almost sundown to fill this
form. One man held the nozzle as the truck pressure pumped the
concrete into the form as other workers went behind him with
vibrating devices to settle the mix and force the evacuation of
trapped air. After the form was filled, they smoothed the surface to
finish. |
 |
 |
With the form now removed...the massive tower
foundation is readily visible. In the background, just right of the
antenna tower...is the store room and diesel generator room for the
office. The large white boxlike object next to the building is the
fuel tank for the generator. We have to assure power during severe
weather...and the diesel generator provides it at the flip of a
switch. |
|
|
www.weather.gov
