The US National Park Service and National Weather Service (NWS) have announced that a new automated weather monitoring station is now operational at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, California.
Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America, meaning that the new weather station is situated at an elevation of 219ft below sea level, 26ft lower than a similar automated weather station located at Furnace Creek Visitor Center (-193ft).
The Campbell Scientific weather station measures temperature, humidity and rainfall, and transmits live data to NWS distribution systems by satellite, enabling the public to view the weather station data online.
Abby Wines, spokesperson for the National Park Service, said, “People around the world are fascinated by Death Valley’s extreme summer temperatures. Now anyone with internet access can compare the temperatures at Badwater and Furnace Creek.”
The equipment will benefit the NWS by providing real-time weather information used in the issuance of life-saving weather warnings. The data will also help to improve numerical weather forecast models.