The Monitoring Network of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics

Paul Joe, Bill Scott, Chris Doyle, George Isaac, Ismail Gultepe, Douglas Forsyth, Stewart Cober, Edwin Campos, Ivan Heckman, Norman Donaldson, David Hudak, Roy Rasmussen, Paul Kucera, Ron Stewart, Julie M. Thériault, Teresa Fisico, Kristen L. Rasmussen, Hannah Carmichael, Alex Laplante, Monika BaileyFaisal Boudala

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

An innovative monitoring network was implemented to support the operational and science programs for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. It consisted of in situ weather stations on custom-designed platforms. The sensors included an HMP45C for temperature, humidity and pressure, a tipping bucket rain gauge, an acoustic snow depth sensor, a Pluvio 1 precipitation gauge and an anemometer placed at gauge height and at 10 m height. Modifications to commercial automated precipitation gauges were necessary for the heavy snowfall conditions. Advanced or emerging technologies were deployed to support scientific and nowcasting studies into precipitation intensity, typing, visibility and wind. The sensors included an FD12P visibility and precipitation sensor, a precipitation occurrence sensing system (POSS) present weather sensor, a Hotplate precipitation sensor and a Parsivel disdrometer. Data were collected at 1 min sampling intervals. A Doppler weather radar was deployed in a valley location and provided critical detailed low-level data. An X-band dual-polarized radar was deployed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to monitor Vancouver and Cypress Mountain. Three remote sensing stations for vertical profiling were established. At the base of Whistler Mountain, a micro-rain radar, a 22-channel radiometer, a ceilometer, a Parsivel and a POSS were installed. At the base of Cypress Mountain, a micro-rain radar, a ceilometer, a low cost rain sensor (LCR by ATTEX) and a POSS were installed. At Squamish, a wind profiler and a POSS were installed. Weather sensors were mounted on the Whistler Village Gondola and on the Peak to Peak gondola. Sites were established along the Whistler Mountain slope and at other key locations. The combination of sites and instruments formed a comprehensive network to provide observations appropriate for nowcasting in winter complex terrain and investigate precipitation, visibility and wind processes. The contribution provides a detailed description of the network, their sensors, the innovations and some examples.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)25-58
Number of pages34
JournalPure and Applied Geophysics
Volume171
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2014

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