Energy Research Unit Meteorological Data

About the Barometer

The barometer is mounted 2m above the ground inside the ERU Control Room (R111).

Barometric pressure is simply the weight of the column of air above the barometer and is measured in units of hectopascals [hPa], where 1 hPa is equivalent to 1millibar [mb], a familiar unit previously used in meteorology. Pressure measurement is important in wind energy research as it affects the mass of air and therefore has a small effect on the power in the wind at a given wind speed.

Pressure is presented as the equivalent pressure at mean sea level as is standard meteorological practice. The ERU Test Site is approximately 139m above mean sea level. This corresponds to a drop in pressure of 16.4hPa [mb] below that which would have been recorded at sea level. A correction has been made to the barometric pressure to give the equivalent pressure at mean sea level.