WEATHER STATIONS AT AIRPORTS

[BUTTERFLY]

I was just reading a post about the tornado around Castleisland, Co. Kerry, on 16th December 2011 and mention was made of the airport at Farranfore some miles away. That reminded me that though there are weather stations (generally automatic) at a number of airports (e.g. St. Angelo, Ballykelly, Aldergrove, and Belfast City Airport in Northern Ireland, Dublin Airport, Casement Aerodrome, Cork, Shannon and Knock Airports in the Republic of Ireland), there are at least a handful of small airports where I am not aware of weather readings being taken. This includes Farranfore in Co. Kerry above, but there is a small airfield in West Donegal (not far from Burtonport, I think) and also at Newtownards in Co. Down; possibly there are others in ROI I am not aware of (is there one in Waterford or Wexford, for example?).

One might have thought that it would have been a statutory duty for each airport of airfield to have a weather station, for safety reasons, since if for example the wind is very strong or there is an occurrence or likelihood of snow, fog, hail, etc., then this could potentially affect the safety of aircraft.

Does anyone know if small airports such as Farranfore, etc, record weather? It is not shown for Co. Kerry  in the latest Monthly Weather Bulletin, for December 2011 (which gives more stations than the Monthly Summary, the most recent of which is for March 2012 (see http://www.met.ie/climate/monthlyBulletins/dec11.pdf).

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[DOC]

All small airports (the likes of Sligo, Galway, Waterford, Donegal, Farranfore, Weston, etc.) do have (fairly sophisticated) weather statitons (they would have to, to be able to advise pilots of current weather conditions).  I am sure they do record their own data (for the record and to comply with general aviation rules) but as they are not part of the Met Eireann network you will not see the recorded data or current condions published/online. 

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[BUTTERFLY]

I don't see why they are not part of the Meteireann network, if they use sophisticated equipment. Where is "Weston", by the way? I had forgotten about Galway Airport although I have passed it once or twice. Are there any airfields in the Midlands?

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[DOC]

Not sure why you think they should be part of the network?  Cost would no doubt be the main factor. 

Weston is in Co. Dublin (Lucan).  There are no airports in the Midlands (well at least that deal with commercial traffic). 

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[LaoisWeather]

Donegal and Sligo APs report to http://xcweather.co.uk/

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[DOC]

I don't see why they are not part of the Meteireann network, if they use sophisticated equipment.

I suppose there is sophisticated and sophisticated!  A good Davis system/set up may cost E 1,000  (which may satisfy the needs for a small regional airport to give current weather conditions) wheras a typical Met Eireann automated station on the network costs in the region of E 100,000 to set up (afaik).

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[BUTTERFLY]

"I suppose there is sophisticated and sophisticated!  A good Davis system/set up may cost E 1,000  (which may satisfy the needs for a small regional airport to give current weather conditions) wheras a typical Met Eireann automated station on the network costs in the region of E 100,000 to set up (afaik)."

Without having any direct knowledge of these costs, I must say I am extremely surprised by the latter figure. The Katesbridge, Co. Down, site, which is part of the British Met Office automatic network, is on the land of a private individual and looking at it I would be most surprised if it cost anything like this amount, or its equivalent in Pounds Sterling.

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[Mothman]

It is in the order of 100k for one of the synoptic Tucson station which may have more features than Katesbridge. Things such as the communication infrastructure and the likes of perimeter fencing etc does add up.

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[rocheydub]

Or maybe it's just another example of 'rip off Ireland'!!!

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