DOST to install automatic weather stations

The Department of Science and Technology has been planning to install automatic weather stations (AWS) and automatic rain gauges (ARG) nationwide. It has also plans of covering all the provinces of Western Visayas in the next two months.

In fact, the DOST has just recently installed an ARG in the municipality of Madalag, Aklan.

The rain gauge was installed through the efforts of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration according to Galo Ibardolaza of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council for the province of Aklan.

The town of Madalag was chosen because of its location -- being surrounded by two rivers that join with the bigger Aklan river.

According to Pagasa, aside from the Doppler Radar that they have installed in some parts of the country, they also need the AWS to automate its ground stations in order to perform faster, more accurately, and efficiently in areas which will primarily serve as early warning and monitoring devices for disaster mitigation.

An ASW is equipped with sensors capable of measuring weather parameters, wind speed and direction, air temperature, air humidity, air pressure, rain amount, duration, and intensity. A total of 80 AWSs is scheduled to be installed in stations across the country. Some 43 have already been installed.

These will help Pagasa in deciding on whether they will give out warnings for possible evacuation in a particular area according to DOST Regional Director Edgardo Esperancilla.

"The automated weather stations are stand-alone devices that measure weather-related factors and transmit data on real-time basis," he added.

Esperencilla also said that they are now coordinating with the DRRMC to lessen the hazards in the country particularly during typhoons and floods. — ARA