Wilmington National Weather Service explains how they automatically collect daily data

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — When Wilmington weather observations began in the 1870s, it involved a person walking outside and taking measurement.

But a lot has changed since then.

Automatic observations began at the Wilmington International Airport in November of 1995.

The “Automated Surface Observing Station” (ASOS) records temperature, precipitation, wind speed and much more in an open field.

Steven Pfaff with the Wilmington NWS says the automated system makes weather data more accurate and easier to take than before 1995.

“This equipment here allows us to take weather observations every minute,” Pfaff said. “Therefore, a lot of the weather that does occur doesn’t fall through the cracks like it had been many decades ago.”

Pfaff says complete weather date is important to make weather prediction models as reliable as possible.