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Utah Weather Station Records, 1868-1980

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Utah Weather Station.
Title
Utah Weather Station Records
Dates
1868-1980 (inclusive)
Quantity
108 Boxes, (89.5 Linear Feet)
Collection Number
UUS_COLL MSS 470
Summary
The Utah Weather State records contain mostly raw weather data from Utah and Nevada, recorded in a variety of forms.
Repository
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu
Access Restrictions

No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.

Languages
English
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Historical Note

A March 16, 1992 issue of the Utah Climate Center publication, Utah Climate , recalls the evolution of Utah’s weather observations:

"Each day volunteer weather observers at nearly 200 sites scattered around Utah record weather data for the National Weather Service. The observations include the daily maximum and minimum temperatures, 24-hour precipitation totals, 24-hour snowfall, and depths of snow on the ground. The ritual and many of the instruments have changed very little since the civilian weather service was born in 1891…

…Prior to 1890 climatology observations were recorded for military purposes by the Signal Service of the War Department and a small weather observation network was organized by the Smithsonian Institution. When the Organic Act was signed on October 1, 1890, civilian weather observers, and warning and forecast responsibilities were transferred to the Department of Agriculture. Ultimately, the National Weather Service—at that time known as the Weather Bureau—was created in July 1891."

The weather observations from across Utah eventually ended up at the Utah Climate Center, located on the Utah State University campus in Logan. UCC staff are affiliated with USU’s Department of Plant, Soils and Climate and the Agricultural Experiment Station.

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Content Description

The Utah Weather State records contain mostly raw weather data in a variety of forms.

Series I: Record of Climatological Observations. This series contains daily observations of temperature, precipitation, and weather conditions from across Utah. The material is arranged alphabetically by place.

Series II: Winds Aloft Computation Sheet. This series provides information about wind speed and direction in Milford, Salt Lake City, and Wendover. The material is arranged chronologically.

Series III: Temperature and Preciptation Data. This series consists of ledgers used to record mean maximum temperature, mean minimum temperature, mean temperature, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, total precipitation, greatest precipitation, total snowfall, and number of rainy days, for locations across the state. The material is arranged alphabetically by location.

Series IV: Surface Weather Observations. This series includes records of temperature, precipitation, wind, sunshine, and weather occurrances for Wendover, Utah. These materials are arranged chronologically.

Series V: Combined Wind Direction, Velocity, Sunshine, Rain Fall, Recorder Charts. This series contains charts that resemble those of a seismograph but were used to automatically record wind direction, velocity, sunshine, and rainfall at Lincoln, Lake Point, and the International Smelting Company.

Series VI: Newspaper Clippings. This series is composed of newspaper clippings from across the state that address local weather events. They are arranged chronologically.

Series VII: Miscellaneous Weather Data, Records, and Files. This series consists of loose weather data, files, or bound volumes that did not lend themselves to clear categorization. An attempt was made ot group similar materials.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the Utah Weather Station Records must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Preferred Citation

Initial Citation: Utah Weather Station Records USU_COLL MSS 470, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.

Following Citations: USU_COLL MSS 470, USUSCA.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Arranged by document type.

Processing Note

Processed in May of 2013

Acquisition Information

This collection was donated to Utah State University Special Collections and Archives by the Utah State Climatologist’s office in 1990.

Related Materials

Signal Service Corps Ledgers, COLL MSS 341

Bibliography

Utah Climate Center. “Watching Weather in Logan for 100 Years.” Utah Climate vol. 3 no. 21 (1992). Utah Climate Center. "Centennial of Utah Climate Stations." Utah Climate vol. 3 no. 10 (1992).
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Detailed Description of the Collection

Finding aid/Register created by Melissa Allen and Clint Pumphrey
2013

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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