Weather Monitoring

Weather data has been collected at Toolik Field Station (68 degrees 38'N, 149 degrees 36'W) since June 1988. The weather station located at the field station was originally installed by the Arctic LTER (ecosystems.mbl.edu/arc) and TFS assumed control of the station in 2007. The field station is an ideal location for maintaining long-term weather data, as it is located in a data sparse region and adds a data point along the north-south transect of the Northslope of Alaska, following along the Dalton Highway. There is year round access and a long-term pre-existing dataset. These advantages make it possible to provide quality data - a often difficult achievement in remote northern latitudes in Alaska.

To access the historical data from this weather station, please refer to Weather Data Query.

Data collected includes air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed, wind direction, global solar radiation, photosynthetically active radiation, barometric pressure, precipitation, soil temperatures, lake temperature, lake depth, precipitation and evaporation pan depth and pan water temperature. Most sensors are read every minute and then averaged or totaled every hour. The exceptions are soil temperatures, lake temperature, lake depth, and evaporation pan depth and pan water temperature which are read on ten minute intervals and averaged every three hours. Pan evaporation and pan water temperature are only measured during the summer months. For photosynthetically active radiation sensor no attempt is made to correct for frost or snow on the sensors during the winter months. As of 2008, global solar radiation sensor is equipped with a heater and ventilation system to remain snow and frost free throughout the year. Years prior to 2008, the global solar radiation was not kept free from frost or snow. Please note this when viewing radiation data.

In 2011, a new RM Young "Alpine" anemometer was installed by Polar Field Services (CH2M Hill Polar Services). The anemometer is located on a 44'-tall mast and records wind data at 30-sec. intervals. To access these data, please go to data.aprsworld.com/data/wind2g/current.php?station_id=TOOLIK.

For other weather data in the area, please see the NWS weather data viewer found here.

Contact UAF-IAB-TFS-Metstation@alaska.edu with any questions, comments, or requests regarding Toolik metstation data.