The Borough Meteorologist works with 3 colleagues, on a rota basis, and records twice daily at 9am and 5pm every day of the year as many of the weather parameters as possible from the instruments that they use.
The main part of their station is situated in the north west corner of the White Rock Gardens and consists of a standard fenced enclosure containing thermometers for recording daily maximum and minimum temperatures, and a dry thermometer and a wet muslin thermometer for ascertaining humidity. These instruments are all housed in a protective screen to avoid the influence of sun and wind.
Daily temperatures are also kept of minimum readings on the ground and on a concrete slab and below ground at depths of 30cm and 100cm. Daily rainfall is recorded in a 5 inch diameter rain gauge and a larger recording rain gauge on a daily chart.
A hygrometer records relative humidity on a weekly chart and barometric pressure is recorded from a kew pattern barometer. Wind direction is taken directly from a mast mounted wind vane and the wind speed is estimated in accordance with the Beaufort scale. A Campbell-stokes sunshine recorder is situated on a high point in the town and the chart is changed every day. The sea temperature is taken from Hastings pier by lowering a specially adapted thermometer on a 40 foot rope into the sea.
A kiosk on the promenade displays all recorded information and the Met office forecasts and reports together with graphs and displays about Hastings weather for the interest and information of the public.
Every week all these records are transferred to permanent books and stored on a PC. Every month all these records are transferred to the Met office and Environment Agency.
The basis details of the weather recordings for Hastings each week are reproduced in the local newspaper.
For further information please contact our Meteorology officer.
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This page last updated: 26/01/2006