OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — A new 30-foot weather tower will go up at Hurricane Ridge this summer.
The National Park Service approved the tower this week after finding that it would have no significant impact on the environment.
Park crews will install the new weather tower in July or August, after the snow melts, Barb Maynes, park spokeswoman, said in a written statement.
Improve forecasts
Park officials expect the tower, which will be located about 100 yards from the existing weather station to improve forecasts for floods, winter storms and avalanches.
The present weather station provides accurate data on wind speed and direction, but wind exposure at the site causes snow to drift there in winter, making the precipitation and snow depth data unreliable, Maynes has said.
That station, which is operated by the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center in cooperation with the park, is just west of the generator building near the Cirque Rim Trail.
It has several sensors on a 25-foot tower attached to the generator building that measure precipitation, air temperature and relative humidity.
Next to that tower is an 80-foot radio tower with sensors to measure wind speed and direction and snow depth.
The park will move the precipitation, snow depth, temperature and relative humidity measurement devices to the area of the Hurricane Ridge snow stake, east of the existing towers.
Wind speed and direction still will be measured at the present weather station.
The weather station provides hourly readings on wind speed and direction, temperature, snow depth and precipitation, which are posted online at www.nwac.us/~nwac/products/OSOHUR.
The measurements are used to develop specialized mountain weather forecasts, including avalanche forecasts.
Assessment
The park released a 60-page environmental assessment of the proposed move in January and took public comment until Feb. 9.
The National Park Service issued a finding of no significant impact this week.
For more information about this or other park projects, phone 360-565-3004 or check http://park planning.nps.gov.
