New Weather Monitoring Stations Unveiled in North Alabama

Congressman Robert "Bud" Cramer, Alabama State Climatologist John Christy and WFO Huntsville MIC Mike Coyne unveil new weather monitoring station at the Scottsboro, Ala. Airport (Photo: WFO Huntsville)

(August 30, 2006) -- U.S. Representative Robert "Bud" Cramer, Huntsville Weather Forecast Office (WFO) Meteorologist-in-Charge Mike Coyne and University of Alabama-Huntsville (UAH) Earth System Science Center Director and Alabama State Climatologist John Christy, unveiled today one of eight new modernized COOP weather monitoring stations at the Scottsboro, Ala. airport.

The north Alabama modernized COOP network is the first project nearing completion in the National Weather Service (NWS) Southern Region. It is part of a concerted effort between local, state and federal agencies to provide these state-of-the-art monitoring stations for NWS, state and local use.

A member of the House Appropriations Committee, Representative Cramer secured $1 million for the purchase of the technology -- as well as for climate research at UAH. The first of their kind in the nation, the eight stations will be located in Scottsboro, Courtland, Crossville, Cullman, Guntersville, Muscle Shoals, Russellville and Valley Head. Each station includes precision technology for measuring temperatures and precipitation, as well as satellite uplink capabilities for relaying data to NOAA's Geostationary Satellite Server (GOES). These stations will provide real-time, continuous weather data updated hourly for forecasters, researchers and the general public.

"One year ago, Hurricane Katrina showed us the brutal reality of severe weather," said Cramer. "Here in North Alabama, in order to better protect ourselves and our property, our community relies on the experts at the National Weather Service, our universities and colleges, and those on our local news broadcasts. It is critical that those officials have the most scientifically up-to-date tools and resources to help them better predict severe weather."