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Monthly QA Report

Quality Assurance

The Oklahoma Mesonet’s quality-assurance (QA) consists of four principal components:
1) laboratory calibration,
2) on-site intercomparison,
3) automated QA, and
4) manual QA.

In the instrument laboratory, all sensors are calibrated to validate or improve upon factory calibrations.

On an annual basis, the accuracy of several types of sensors in the field is verified through comparison to calibrated reference sensors housed in a portable system.

To make a first pass through the 640,000+ observations that are received at the Mesonet each day, automated QA software includes numerous algorithms to evaluate the data received from remote stations.

Finally, the Mesonet’s QA meteorologists employ numerous manual techniques to complement automated QA including analysis of monthly statistics to detect sensor drift or bias (click on a month and year to the left to download a PDF version of a Monthly Report). In addition to detecting problematic sensors, the QA meteorologists trace the true start time of each problem so that appropriate data can be manually flagged as erroneous. The QA meteorologists are responsible for communicating problems to, and coordinating with, appropriate field technicians to ensure proper resolution (see a list of the current outstanding tickets below).

Current Trouble Tickets in the Oklahoma Mesonet
(For questions regarding these tickets, contact )

Station Variable Date Reported Problem Description
TIPT 229L Delta Temperature at 25 cm 2023-09-20 17:49:38 Suspect failed heater, starting and final temperature the same. Started at the same time DT05 began to return periodic errant values. Gopher hole visible to the south of soil sensors in pass pics. Several soil sensors have recently failed at this location. Not sure if there is a problem with individual sensors or if there is a common connection.
TIPT 229L Delta Temperature at 5 cm 2023-09-20 17:35:23 Unexpected spikes in soil moisture values. Often occurs overnight and after rain, both periods of higher humidity. Pass pics show gopher hole to the south of soil sensors. DT25 heater failed at the same time initial DT05 problem showed up. Several soil sensors have recently failed at this location. Unsure if problem lies with individual sensors or if there is some common connection.
CLAY 229L Delta Temperature at 10cm under Bare Soils 2023-09-12 18:03:55 Starting and final temperature step to unreasonably high errant values. Affects both soil moisture and temperature. Replace sensor.
MCAL 229L Delta Temperature at 10cm under Bare Soils 2023-08-29 21:01:49 At mid-day, starting and final temperature return -7999. Both temperature and moisture return missing. Suspect thermal short. Replace sensor.
BYAR 229L Delta Temperature at 10cm under Sod 2023-08-28 21:07:31
FORA 229L Delta Temperature at 5 cm 2023-08-23 21:41:30 Soil moisture steps well above 1 fractional water and begins returning erratic values. Suspect failing heater. Soil temperature appears fine. Replace sensor.
SPEN 229L Delta Temperature at 10cm under Bare Soils 2023-08-19 18:02:33 Thermal short when soil temperature exceeds around 34C, causing errantly large or missing values for soil temperature and moisture.
GUTH 229L Delta Temperature at 10cm under Sod 2023-07-16 21:27:30 10cm sod starting and final soil moisture temperature is the same. Average soil temperature is fine.