Tag: climate

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Climate Data Recording

USU Climate Measurement Instrument Courtesy & Copyright Mary Heers, Photographer
USU Climate Measurement Instrument
Courtesy & Copyright Mary Heers, Photographer
Last week while walking across the Utah State University campus, I rounded the Northeast corner of the University Inn and suddenly found myself face to face with a giant stick figure made of steel tubing. Painted a gleaming white, it looked like an elegant butler standing stiffly at attention. Planted firming on three sturdy legs, its rectangular body soared up 12 feet, and two of its outstretched arms seemed to be holding a bowl in one hand and a ball in the other.

Then I noticed the interactive display pedestal nearby. I discovered my “butler” was actually holding a rain gauge and an air temperature sensor. In fact, there were almost 30 sensors attached to the frame. Tapping on each picture of the sensor, I could see the exact measurement it was making at the moment. More tapping and I could look back as far as 500 days ago.

This magnificent machine was recording data so smoothly that I had to laugh when I remembered how in the early days of climate monitoring it wasn’t so easy.

In the 1980’s, after moving to Cache Valley, I was getting used to the cold temperatures and wondering how cold could it get. The engineers at Campbell Scientific, including my husband Art, had just developed a new temperature and wind sensor that could record its measurements into a box. The box would then send a radio signal to a relay station on top of Mt Logan, and then on to the base computer in Logan. They installed the sensor at Peter Sinks, near the summit overlooking Bear Lake. Then they sat down in front of the base computer to wait. They watched the temp drop, -55, -65. Then a tiny gust of air would blow by and the temperature would rise. Finally, they went to bed. But the datalogger kept working. In the morning, they looked at the data sheet – and there it was in black and white: -69.3 degrees Fahrenheit! In the early morning Feb 1, 1985, a record was set for the coldest temp ever recorded in Utah that still stands today.

But my favorite memory from the early days is the farm kid who bought one of the first Campbell Scientific dataloggers, the CR10. Art and I were on a road trip when he realized we were close by. We rang the doorbell. His mother told us to go upstairs. There was the young kid sitting on his bed. The CR10 was on the floor. He showed us how the datalogger was recording the level of oxygen in the water in his nearby catfish pond. When the Oxygen level dropped to a dangerous low, the CR10 would turn on a giant eggbeater-like machine that would throw the pond water high into the air. When the water fell down, it carried Oxygen with it into the pond. The kid was all smiles. Gone were the days when he had to get up every night at 3 am, march through heavy mud, check his Oxygen sensor, and manually turn on the eggbeater.

The kid pointed to the CR10 on the floor.

“Piece of your brain in there?” he asked Art.

“Yes,” answered Art, “And a piece of my heart.”

This is Mary Heers and I’m Wild About Utah.

Credits:
Photos: Courtesy and Copyright Mary Heers,
Featured Audio: Courtesy & © Anderson, Howe and Wakeman
Text: Mary Heers, https://cca.usu.edu/files/awards/art-and-mary-heers-citation.pdf
Additional Reading: Lyle Bingham, https://bridgerlandaudubon.org/

Additional Reading

Wild About Utah, Mary Heers’ Wild About Utah Postings

Peter Sinks Temperature Monitoring, Utah Climate Center at Utah State University, https://climate.usu.edu/PeterSinks/

Tonks, Sara, Peter Sinks, UT, Was Over 50 Degrees Below Zero Wednesday Morning. Here’s Why That’s Both Unusual And Normal, Weather News, The Weather Channel, February 13, 2025, https://weather.com/news/weather/news/2025-02-13-temperature-sinks-cold-explained-geography

Campbell Scientific, Inc., https://www.campbellsci.com/
Company History, https://www.campbellsci.com/history

Franchi, John, Man reflects on recording all-time Utah low temperature in 1985, Fox 13 News, Scripps Media, Inc., February 03, 2023, https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/man-reflects-on-recording-all-time-utah-low-temperature-in-1985

Davis, Jim, Where is the COOLEST Spot in Utah?, Survey Notes, v. 45 no. 3, September 2013, Utah Geological Service, Utah Department of Natural Resources, https://geology.utah.gov/map-pub/survey-notes/glad-you-asked/coolest-spot-in-utah/

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A Place for Growth

A Place for Growth: Blackberries, Courtesy & Copyright Joseph Kozlowski
Blackberries
Courtesy & Copyright Joseph Kozlowski
A Place for Growth
A Place for Growth: Grapes, Courtesy & Copyright Joseph Kozlowski Grapes
Courtesy & Copyright Joseph Kozlowski

A Place for Growth: Nectarines, Courtesy & Copyright Joseph Kozlowski Nectarines
Courtesy & Copyright Joseph Kozlowski

A Place for Growth: Peaches, Courtesy & Copyright Joseph Kozlowski Peaches
Courtesy & Copyright Joseph Kozlowski

I was raised in Laramie, WY, which boasts many qualities making it a pleasant place to live. It’s got a safe hometown feel, cool summers, a relatively close proximity to Colorado’s front range, and access to outdoor recreation opportunities such as the geologically magnificent Vedauwoo. However, Gem City is extremely dry and windy, making gardening of any sort challenging. I say this not to bash on my Alma Mater, but to explain why, when I moved to Logan for graduate school I was captivated by the astonishing climate, notably its ability to support gardening!

It was August, 2018 when I first arrived to Logan in my ’98 Tacoma packed to the brim with what I’d need for this next stage of life, and of course my Black Lab, Josi. I vividly remember emerging from Logan Canyon to a view of Cache Valley and being stunned by the lush surroundings. Later that day I discovered an apricot tree in a grass strip next to my new residence; orange/yellow apricots littered the branches and smushed ones lined the sidewalk below. As I casually picked and gobbled a few of the delectable treats, I realized there was a possibly for growing fruit here that I had had little experience with thus far in my life.

Naturally, filled with excitement and intrigue about being able to grow produce, I went to the local Anderson’s Seed and Garden with my visiting sister and bought raspberry, blackberry, and grape starts; as well as a small peach, pear, nectarine, and cherry tree. By the end of that day and with dirt on about every square inch of our bodies, we stood back and admired the newly planted additions, not sure whether they were planted correctly or if they’d survive the first winter. Well, 6 years later and miraculously, all the plants are bearing fruit, despite the constant battle with aphids, over and under watering, and the local Mule Deer thinking the leafy foliage is as tasty as the fruit the trees will produce.

This all brings us to the best part, enjoying nature’s candy! There is a wonderful sense of delight when I pick a peach from my self-planted, backyard tree and bite into the juicy, sweet meat. So, if you are like I was and have no experience growing, well, anything, don’t let that stop you from going to your local nursery and giving it a try. It’s a great way to take advantage of the beautiful climate the great state of Utah offers!

If by chance you find yourself with more fruit than you can manage, make sure to contact USU’s Harvest Rescue program who may be able to salvage leftover fruit and make it accessible to others.

This is Dr. Joseph Kozlowski, and I am wild about Utah!

Credits:

Images: Courtesy & Copyright Joseph Kozlowski, Photographer, Used by Permission
Featured Audio: Courtesy & Copyright © Kevin Colver, https://wildstore.wildsanctuary.com/collections/special-collections/kevin-colver Friend Weller, UPR.org, and Anderson, Howe, Wakeman.
Text:     Joseph Kozlowski, Edith Bowen Laboratory School, Utah State University https://edithbowen.usu.edu/
Additional Reading Links: Joseph Kozlowski

Additional Reading:

Joseph (Joey) Kozlowski’s pieces on Wild About Utah: https://wildaboututah.org/author/joseph-kowlowski/

USU Harvest Rescue, Center for Community Engagement, Christensen Office of Social Action and Sustainability, Utah State University, https://www.usu.edu/social-action-sustainability/get-involved/cache-gleaning

Anderson Seed & Garden, https://andersonseedandgarden.com