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Condition Monitoring Report  
Station Number: VA-PW-13
Station Name: Manassas 5.3 SE
Report Date: 1/19/2019
Submitted: 1/19/2019 6:03 AM
Scale Bar: Moderately Wet
Description:
The FoxMill Weather Station temperature-compensated soil moisture tension readings at the 3 and 5 inch levels are 8 and 6 centibars respectively in Buckhall clay loam with 3.7% fine gravel/particulates and 3¾ inch mowed dense fescue overcover where the ground sensors are located. Ground temps at the same depths are 36°F and 37°F. Soil moisture education note: Barring a torrential downpour resulting in standing field water, the soil moisture levels at 3 & 5 inches in the station’s Buckhall clay will lag rainfall by 12 - 30 hours due to the fescue moisture uptake and slow percolation in the clay soil. Levels at 8 & 16 inches are relatively stable.

A total of 0.92 inch of precipitation was recorded in the past seven days since the last Condition Monitoring Report was submitted. Weekly evapotranspiration (ETo) total was 0.09 inch resulting in a 0.83 inch ground moisture surfeit.

A total of 9.3 inches of snow since the last Condition Monitoring Report. The expected polar vortex changes we discussed in this column a couple/three weeks ago have taken place and Sunday will see the coldest night of the season after an inch plus of rain starting around noon today. Next week’s report may show the Midwest (and to a lesser extent, the Northeast) locked in near Arctic conditions. 

2018 - 2019 seasonal snowfall to date is 11.7 inches. 

This morning’s weighted soil-moisture tension readings puts us in the “Moderately Wet” range as defined by CoCoRaHS.

January totals to date: Precip 1.27 inch; ETo 0.42 inch resulting in a monthly ground moisture surfeit of 0.85 inch at FoxMill which correlates nicely (high R^2) with the observed soil moisture readings after accounting for the last precipitation type, weighted rate of fall, amount, duration, surface water runoff, ground temperatures, ETo and the previous 30 day rolling measured data. 

Yearly moisture through this morning: Precip 1.27 inch, ETo 0.42 inch, resulting in a surfeit of 0.85 inch.  NOTE: The Dulles Airport historical precipitation average for the recorded period 1964 - 2018 is 41.77 inches; the wettest year on record was 66.75 inches of precipitation in 2018. Washington DC’s wettest year in recorded history since 1871 was also 2018, 66.28 inches. Same with FoxMill Weather Station, 2018 was our wettest year on record, 71.47 inches of precipitation measured on an 8-inch NWS Standard Rain Gauge, siting meets/exceeds NWS standards.

FoxMill Weather Station (VA-PW-13) provides detailed ground moisture information (including evapotranspiration plus multi-depth soil temperature and moisture readings) on a *daily* basis in the CoCoRaHS Daily Precipitation Report ”Observation Notes" section which is updated at 6 a.m. by the duty observer.

Data reported by: observer2 (ampersat) foxmill.us at FoxMill Weather Station, Saturday, 19 January 2019.
Categories: General Awareness
Agriculture
Plants & Wildlife