PONT Schools partnership in the collection of climate information
Aims
To amass a low-level but reliable and long-term data base of weather recordings from a wide range of schools over the two local regions, to measure and exchange details of typical weather and also of climate change. This will provide a resource to help enhance understanding of the range of weather within and between the two areas and will also be useful to a wider range of people with an interest in climate change.
Objectives
Schools collect the following information – ideally on a daily basis, at the same time each day*
§Time and date
§Maximum and minimum temperature over the last 24 hours or since the last reading
§Rainfall or other precipitation
§Any comments regarding the weather or other ‘natural phenomena’ that are locally relevant or unusual to the teachers or pupils. These might be, for example, snowfall or landslides due to heavy rainfall causing school closure or making it difficult for children or teachers to get to school. If local festivals take place which may affect conditions [as with the British Bonfire Night] information is provided for the partner school to understand what is going on!
* Noon GMT for RCT schools and GMT +3 [i.e. local noon] for Mbale schools if possible.
The information may be recorded in an exercise book or put on the Excel spreadsheets that are provided, based on the table shown below.
|
Date |
Time |
Temp |
Max temp |
Min temp |
Rainfall |
Comments |
|
5 November 2007 |
1200 |
14 |
17 |
10 |
none |
Smoke at night from Guy Fawkes Night bonfires |
|
6 November 2007 |
1200 |
13 |
19 |
13 |
none |
[none] |
Where the information will be stored:
Copies of the weather records will be sent to each partner school.
The collated results will be sent to the PONT Education Committees in both Pontypridd and Mbale, for use by any interested schools.
Results are also sent, if requested, to the local and regional authorities and to others, such as the Mbale Natural Resources Officer, who can make good use of the information, for planning and to monitor climate change.
All partner schools and any other schools/institutions willing to participate will ultimately be involved. Contact either the PONT Environment Team or the Education Team for more information.
