Lashing wind and rain from Storm Ciara squall line

This gave over 5mm in less than 5 minutes - on top of 20mm since midnight however that was the end of the serious rain. There had been a gust to 70mph shortly after midnight and this squall peaked at about 57mph

New VP2 ISS

My VP2 was bought used from ebay about 2012 and so must be at least 10 years old - the whole unit is showing it's age with grey sun damaged plastics and lichen growth hard to keep at bay.

Only the rain gauge is original so it's a bit like the warehouse man's broom in a way!
Even the main board was replaced about 5 years ago.

I noticed the main unit without console is not unduly expensive especially since VAT an be reclaimed as the unit is invaluable for the farm at times.
The replaced sensors can be kept as spares indeed the whole thing could be swapped back if an issue arises.

As noted in post below I was taken aback that the new one reads 0.5C lower which seems to be because the T/H sensor replaced last October should have had an offset applied due to revised design.
Before about 25th October readings were correct except for humidity which was why it was replaced.

VP2 Temperature offset not applied

It has come to light that the sensor I replaced late October 2019 requires a -0.5C offset due to different design - this is significant and if corrected there would have been more air frosts recorded for example.
Here's the info:
https://www.manula.com/manuals/pws/davis-kb/1/en/topic/temperature-humidity-general

The previous one was installed about 2014 and was reading correctly.
the newer design is reckoned to be more accurate.
Luckily that's only two months with *wrong* readings and there's no easy way to correct that so will let it go.

2018 timelapse

The weather station camera shots condensed into a short timelapse

Drought, heat and storms

Since early May it's been very much on the dry side, with June having only 14mm things were getting stressed by July.

Grass was turning brown rather than regrowing from hay and silage cuts, and some spring water supplies were getting precarious.
As July went on thundery spells began to feature, with 34mm on the 16th and 23mm on the 27th.
By month end the total has got close to the normal 77mm.

 Here's a (rather long) video of the dramatic lightning on the evening of the 27th.
This moved on over Teesside giving them a spectacular display too.
This storm gave about 14mm but was never especially torrential.

 

Replacing VP2 anemometer bearings

Fow a while it has become apparent that when the wind is light, the wind cups stop spinning far too readily. This is a common issue caused by the tiny bearings - which can be replaced rather than change the whole unit. I bought a set (two) from an ebay seller and they arrived several weeks ago but only just got round to installing. Once on the ground the unit can be opened using just a small hexagonal/allen key. I already had a suitable one but it is very small, no idea the exact size. I feared the studs might be seized but it opened easily enough, I think they are stainless. The cups are completely separate from the Vane, which you do not need to open but it won't hurt, and makes it easier to handle with it taken off. You need to open the central area by taking out the larger screw on the stem too. Inside a magnet spins in the central section. on the bottom a small circlip is all that stops the shaft and attached magnet sliding upwards and out. The bearings have a small flange and can be wiggled out with a small screwdriver or similar. Replacements just press in. The major risk is losing the tiny circlip, I guess a bit of wire might do to replace it. Tweezers are useful to position it for delicate replacement. Once re-installed lower speeds are being recorded much better. There was an obvious roughness in the old bearings as you spun it, however a possible temporary improvement might be made by opening it up and squirting with WD40 or similar. I was a little surprised they were somewhat rusty - but it isn't exactly sealed inside, so much as free draining. If water gets in it *should* drip out. I may be wrong but the upper section with vane does not appear to have a bearing, and might also benefit from slight lubrication. In any case it seems to be moving freely on mine, which is only about 5 years old having been replaced previously.

Beast Blizzard

This started rather modestly but by 28th February conditions were severe with daytime highs about -3C compounded by high winds from the east and frequent snow showers.
During the showers conditions were hellish at times, but probably little more than 6 inches of snow has fallen so far.

Forecasts suggest more normal cold weather returns by the weekend with temperatures creeping above freezing, but very much on the cold side until perhaps mid-March.