A 14‐Year Meteorological Dataset From a University Campus in the East Midlands of the UK

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The weather station on the Loughborough University campus underwent refurbishment and upgrade in 2007, and this contribution reports on the outcome of 14 subsequent years of meteorological data collection there, before a further episode of upgrading. Data collection is described, with emphasis on the continuity or lack of continuity of the variables monitored. Out of 136 instrument‐years deployment, only 36 are less than 90% complete, and 21 less than 75% complete. Data processing discusses the method of retrieving 0900‐0900 temperature maxima and minima and rainfall totals, to correspond to the standard UK and Ireland Climatological Day. As an independent check on the probable reliability of the campus weather dataset, values are correlated with and regressed against co‐located values extracted from the UK Met Office HadUK‐grid dataset. Campus temperatures are slightly, but consistently, higher than those indicated by HadUK‐grid, while HadUK‐grid rainfall is on average almost 10% higher than that recorded on the campus. Trend‐free statistical relationships between campus and HadUK‐grid data imply that there is unlikely to be any significant temporal bias in the campus dataset. The contribution concludes with a consideration of recent and potential future applications of the dataset.