230 years of uninterrupted weather records

The Armagh Observatory marks a very special weather step while the Institute celebrates 230 years of continuous meteorological observation.

The uninterrupted tradition of handwritten data makes it the longest sequence of continuous meteorological information collected throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Events take place at the Armagh Observatory on Monday to mark the old birthday.

Nowadays, most weather data is collected only by automated weather stations, but not in Armagh, where the human touch remains.

The first handwritten recording was made on the evening of July 14, 1795, when a temperature and atmospheric pressure measurement was recorded on a graphic from the observatory which is above the city of Armagh.

The measure was repeated the next day and every day for the next 230 years.

Shane Kelly is currently the main meteorological observer of the observatory.

Since 1999, its role is to open what is called the Stevenson screen which contains sensitive thermometers, before noting its readings for the day in the big handwritten book.

His hand has entered much more data than any of 17 predecessors.

“You are sort of rooted in the infrastructure almost,” says Shane.

“The observatory is astronomy, it is also meteorology, and after many years, I feel like I am part of masonry.”

After taking readings in Armagh for 25 years, Shane says he noticed changes in the diagram of our time.

“The seasons are not as clearly cut as before,” he said.

“We have somehow met in a long season with two days of snow here and a few days of sun there.”

The period of 230 years of meteorological data in Armagh begins when the science of meteorology was at its beginnings.

From 1795, he was anterior at eight years the publication of Luke Howard’s test on the modification of the clouds.

This influential book has presented the name for the clouds for clouds which, with some modifications, is still used today.

And Armagh observers have left their own mark on the development of science.

The files contain mentions of major Aurora events and some of the first recorded observations of the night clouds which are such a characteristic of clear summer nights in northern Ireland.

The entrance to January 6, 1839 describes a “formidable scabs in the night”.

A fairly discreet description of a storm that would have been killed between 250 and 300 people.

In 1908, when pensions were introduced for those over 70 in Ireland, the memory of Oíche Na Gaoithe Móire (The Night of the Great Wind) was used as a question of qualification for people without birth certificates.

He may also have prompted the third director of the observatory – Romney Robinson – to develop a device to precisely measure the wind speed – the four cup anemometer.

Dr. Rok Nežič, who is the officer of tours and awareness of the Observatory of Armagh and the Planetarium, said that there were ways to measure the wind speed before the four cup anemometer, “but they were not very precise”.

“Robinson has thought of a device that could take the wind from any direction,” said Dr. Nežič, who is also a qualified meteorological observer.

“There have been only small changes since the invention in 1845, but we still use it today.

“D’Armagh – taken worldwide.”

The uninterrupted sequence of data recorded in Armagh has been widely written by men, but it was only maintained thanks to a remarkable woman.

In 1917, Theresa Hardcastle arrived in Armagh in England with her children.

Her husband Joseph had been appointed the next director of the observatory and Theresa had arrived to supervise the repairs of the house they had to share.

Before he could travel to join her, Joseph fell ill and died.

Marrowing in Armagh, Theresa continued to make and record daily weather observations.

Jessica Moon, the observatory and the planetarium describes Theresa as the “unknown hero” in the story of Armagh.

“No one expected her to do this,” she said.

“It was not her role at all. She is a key detail on this subject.”

Today, many meteorological observers that Shane Kelly have formed come from around the world.

For the current director of the observatory, Professor Michael Burton, the collection of practical weather data is an important part of the training process for doctoral students based in Armagh.

“The measurement process itself is the heart of science,” he said.

“But this is not a simple process. And the handling process – getting dirty with data – is a key element to understand what exists.

“The measurement of time teaches you a lot about science … It helps you understand your data.”

This important role in the training of scientists and astronomers of the future means that the human connection of Armagh with the weather of the past seems to continue for many years to come.