Data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The Reference Climatological Stations (RCS) network represents the first effort by NOAA to create and maintain a nationwide network of stations located only in areas where no changes in the surroundings are foreseen. Efforts to establish the network began in 1954 by the National Weather Service. The network became operational in 1966 with the selection of fifteen stations from a list of 28 candidate sites; six more were added as the network expanded. Most stations were located at university agricultural experiment stations. Core data elements include temperature, rainfall, and wind speed & direction. Some stations also measured evaporation and soil temperature. Observations were taken daily by volunteer observers, and were a subset of the extensive NWS Cooperative Observations network. Stations were assigned Cooperative Station IDs, but were provided with special forms on which to record wind speed and direction, elements not recorded at other Coop stations.
About this Dataset
Updated: 2024-02-22
Metadata Last Updated:
2025-11-20T02:54:48.728Z
Date Created:
N/A
Data Provided by:
Dataset Owner:
N/A
| Title | Reference Climatological Stations |
|---|---|
| Description | The Reference Climatological Stations (RCS) network represents the first effort by NOAA to create and maintain a nationwide network of stations located only in areas where no changes in the surroundings are foreseen. Efforts to establish the network began in 1954 by the National Weather Service. The network became operational in 1966 with the selection of fifteen stations from a list of 28 candidate sites; six more were added as the network expanded. Most stations were located at university agricultural experiment stations. Core data elements include temperature, rainfall, and wind speed & direction. Some stations also measured evaporation and soil temperature. Observations were taken daily by volunteer observers, and were a subset of the extensive NWS Cooperative Observations network. Stations were assigned Cooperative Station IDs, but were provided with special forms on which to record wind speed and direction, elements not recorded at other Coop stations. |
| Modified | 2025-11-20T02:54:48.728Z |
| Publisher Name | N/A |
| Contact | N/A |
| Keywords | Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Surface Winds > Wind Speed , Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Surface Winds > Wind Direction , Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure > Surface Temperature > Maximum/Minimum Temperature , Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation , Atmospheric - Surface - Wind Speed And Direction , Atmospheric - Surface - Air Temperature , Atmospheric - Surface - Precipitation , Continent > North America > United States Of America , Vertical Location > Land Surface , Rain Gauges , Thermometers , Anemometers , In Situ Land-based Platforms , DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce , DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC > National Climatic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce , climatologyMeteorologyAtmosphere |
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