Fort Sherman (FTS)

The meteorological station at the Ft. Sherman Canopy Crane was established on Sept. 1997. The FTS crane site (9°17'N, 79°58'30''W, 130m above mean sea level) is a relatively old-growth, evergreen wet tropical forest located 4.4 km from the Atlantic Ocean. While too few data are available to estimate long-term averages at the FTS station, a nearby station (5.8 km SE of the crane) receives an average of 3020 mm of rain per year. The weather station is located at 185 m (solar radiations sensors are at 189 m)

The crane has a 54m long arm. The gondala has a maximum lift height of 53m and a work radius (from center of tower) of 53m.
The meteorological year is divided into two parts: a pronounced dry season (approximately from mid-December to the end of April), and a wet season (May to mid-December). On average, approximately 300 mm of rain fall during the dry season. Relative humidity, solar radiation, wind speed and direction all show marked wet/dry season differences. On the other hand, temperature varies relatively little throughout the year.
Data are collected from a fully automated meteorological station located on top of the canopy crane at an elevation of approximately 60m. Click here for Ft. Sherman data.

For more information about the Canopy Crane Access Project, click here:
Here are a some views from on top of the FtS crane and a map of the area:
 


The following data are available from FTS:

Precipitation Rainfall is collected in the Clearing by a Texas Electronics Tipping Bucket Rain Gauge.  Each tipping bucket event represents 0.1 mm  of rainfall. The tipping bucket records precipitation on 15-minute intervals.
Relative Humidity 15-min average, maximum and minimum relative humidity is measured using  a Vaisala electronic temperature/humidity sensor.
Solar Radiation 15-min total, maximum and minimum global solar radiation are measured at the top of the Lutz tower using Li-Cor LI200SB pyranometers attached to a data logger. Hourly total, maximum and minimum are recorded. Li-Cor 190SB sensors record Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) similarly.
Temperature 15-min average, maximum and minimum shaded air temperature is measured using Vaisala electronic temperature/humidity sensors.
Wind Speed and Direction 15-min average, maximum and minimum wind speed plus average wind direction are recorded at hourly intervals on the top of the Lutz tower using a Model 05035 Young Anemometer connected to a data logger.