AMS Mobile Observations Subcommittee Report on Mobile Weather Assets in the Road Weather Community

During a period spanning from late 2021 until early 2023, the AMS Mobile Observations Subcommittee conducted a survey with state Department of Transportation (DOT) organizations to assess the degree which mobile platforms, such as state DOT vehicles, are used to sample meteorological data elements, such as air temperature, road temperature, relative humidity, and surface friction. The survey also sought information on the availability of state DOT mobile platform observations to the meteorological community, through repositories such as the Meteorological Assimilation Data Ingest System (MADIS), and the use of mobile meteorological observations within the parent organization as input for Maintenance Decision Support Systems (MDSS).

44 surveys were sent out to state DOTs and 30 replies received. The majority of respondents are taking mobile observations, especially for air temperature and pavement temperature. However, most of the mobile observations are not making it outside the parent organization. The survey details will be presented in this talk.