A mobile mesonet is a special vehicle mounted weather station that records temperature, humidity, pressure, wind speed and direction. It can also be equipped with additional sensors and devices, such as a solar radiation sensor, flux-gate compass, and GPS. Mesonets also have a special interface that allows for ‘true’ wind measurements to be taken while the vehicle is moving down the road at high speeds. Each instrument is connected to a data logger that records their measurements at set intervals, and is then relayed in real time to an on board computer inside the vehicle. Each sensor is strategically placed on a rack atop the vehicle to optimize the quality of the data they collect. For instance, the static pressure port and anemometer are typically placed above, and slightly forward of the vehicle’s slipstream (about 0.62 m x 1.0 m, and 0.62-1.0 m x 1.2m above the vehicle’s roof, respectively). The temperature and humidity sensors are also housed inside a specially designed “S” shaped tube that allows for proper ventilation whilst keeping the sensors safe from solar/vehicle radiation and rain.

The purpose of the Mesoscale & Tornadic Environment Sampling  project is to gather surface observation data of supercell thunderstorms and tornadic environments, as well as other meteorological phenomena.  The project uses vehicle bound weather stations, called mobile mesonets, to record surface temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, and atmospheric pressure.  The mobile weather lab (mobile mesonet) is equipped with high tech equipment that helps EWM Storm Chasers better track severe weather.