Introduction

Introduction to the online 3D-PAWS manual

What is 3D-PAWS?

3D-PAWS (3D-Printed Automatic Weather Station) is an international initiative that enables the local construction of reliable, low-cost weather stations using 3D printing and commercially available sensors. Developed by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) and the US National Weather Service International Activities Office (NWS IAO), with support from USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), 3D-PAWS addresses the challenges of limited weather observations in remote, rural, and underserved regions.

Goals of the 3D-PAWS initiative:

• Expand Weather and Climate Observations:

  Increase the density of surface weather and environmental monitoring in rural, remote, and underserved regions by enabling the local construction and deployment of reliable, low-cost weather stations

• Reduce Weather-Related Risks:

  Provide timely and accurate weather and hydrometeorological data to support early warning systems, regional decision support, and disaster risk reduction, especially in areas vulnerable to extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and storms

• Empower Local Communities and Build Capacity:

  Facilitate local ownership, assembly, and maintenance of observation networks, allowing communities, schools, and agencies to sustainably manage their own data collection infrastructure

• Promote Open Access and Innovation:

  Open-source robust designs, documentation, and software to encourage widespread adoption, adaptation, and innovation in environmental sensing and data collection

System Overview

A very high quality 3D-PAWS surface weather station can be manufactured in about a week, at a cost of only $300-500, using locally sourced materials, microsensor technology, low-cost micro-controllers or single board computers, and a 3D printer. 3D-PAWS sensors currently measure pressure, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, precipitation, and visible/infrared/UV light. A range of options are available for data acquisition, data processing, and communications, including Arduino and Raspberry Pi based systems.

3D-printed wind speed anemometer and wind direction vane, tipping bucket rain gauge and radiation shield.

Benefits of a low-cost 3D-PAWS system:

• Uses low-cost, reliable micro-sensors

• Can be assembled locally at Met Offices or other local agencies

• Components can be “re-printed” when systems fail

• Local agencies take ownership in building and maintaining observation networks

Sensor Evaluation

3D-PAWS is being assessed at the NCAR Marshall Field Site in Boulder, CO, the NOAA Testbed facility in Sterling, VA, and at selected international locations. The Boulder site provides sampling conditions in a high-altitude semi-arid environment with subfreezing temperatures and frozen precipitation (the latter is not measured). The NOAA site provides sampling for a more temperate and humid climate near sea-level. The international 3D-PAWS sites provide an assessment of sensor performance in a variety of tropical and sub-tropical climate regimes.

Station Pilot Networks

3D-PAWS systems have been deployed in the United States and in more than 17 other countries around the world. The primary focus in the United States is on testing and evaluation. The two major "success stories" are in Kenya and Barbados - in Kenya the stations are co-located with schools as part of the Globe program, while the Barbados Meteorological Service (BMS) has built and installed more than 60 stations on the island with a goal of eventually reaching 100 sites.

Data Access

3D-PAWS real-time data are available on the CHORDS project data servers: http://3d-kenya.chordsrt.com (Kenya) and http://3d.chordsrt.com (for testing and evaluation). CHORDS (Cloud-Hosted Real-time Data Services for Geosciences) is a US National Science Foundation (NSF) Earthcube initiative to provide a platform for sharing geosciences datasets. It is supported and managed by the UCAR/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL).

Martin Steinson describes the function of the 3D-PAWS rain gauge for the students of St. Benedict's High School, Budalangi, Kenya.

Benefits, Impacts, and End Users

3D-PAWS observations can be used for a variety of hydrometeorological applications.

Example applications:

• Regional weather forecasting. Observations from the 3D-PAWS network can be assimilated into regional numerical weather prediction systems such as the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF: http://www.wrf-model.org) model to improve mesoscale weather forecasts.
• Early alert and regional decision support systems. Real-time monitoring of precipitation in ungauged or minimally gauged river basins can provide input to flash flood guidance and early warning decision support systems to support delivery of flood alerts.

• Agricultural monitoring. 3D-PAWS can support water resource management tools to improve reservoir operation for fresh water supplies and the generation of hydroelectric power. Other applications include operation of irrigation systems (e.g., center pivots) and agricultural crop monitoring.

• Health monitoring. 3D-PAWS can help monitor conditions leading to outbreaks of diseases such as meningitis and malaria.

Contact Information

Paul A. Kucera, Ph.D. UCAR/COMET P.O. Box 3000 Boulder, CO 80307 USA

+1. 303. 497. 2807 [e-mail]

Martin Steinson UCAR/COMET P.O. Box 3000 Boulder, CO 80307 USA

+1. 303. 497. 2807 [e-mail]

William Nicewonger UCAR/COMET P.O. Box 3000 Boulder, CO 80307 USA

+1. 303. 497. 2509 [e-mail]