What We Do
Wind Data
The Marine Environmental Unit collects wind data from weather stations which are located around Orkney:
- Barrel of Butter Skerry, Scapa Flow
- Scapa, Harbour Authority Building, Scapa Beach
- Kirkwall Pier, North Pier, Kirkwall
- Stromness Pier, North Pier, Stromness
- Hatston Pier, Terminal Building, Hatston
- Lyness Pier, Orkney Ferries Office, Lyness
- North Ronaldsay Pier, Orkney Ferries Office, North Ronaldsay
- Shapinsay, Radar Station, North Shapinsay
- Black Craig, Radar Station, Stromness
- Sandy Hill, Radar Station, South Ronaldsay
The weather stations centre on programmable data loggers which control external sensors, then process, store and transmit the data. Sonic wind sensors at each of the weather stations measure wind speed and direction. The wind speed data is viewed and stored in knots and all data is recorded in intervals of 15-minute values. There is a barometric pressure sensor situated at Scapa weather station.
The Marine Services Environmental Unit maintain the data from the weather stations and carry out data analysis for Marine Services and other services within the Council. Live data feeds from the weather stations are provided over the internal network and on the Marine Services’ website. Historical wind data and wind roses are available for purchase by third parties.
The maintenance team at Marine Services have responsibility for the physical maintenance of the weather stations.