Note: We have moved to a new RAWS website (https://raws.nifc.gov/). Please update your links.
There are nearly 2,200 interagency Remote Automatic Weather Stations (RAWS) strategically located throughout the United States. These stations monitor the weather and provide weather data that assists land management agencies with a variety of projects such as monitoring air quality, rating fire danger, and providing information for research applications.
Most of the stations owned by the wildland fire agencies are placed in locations where they can monitor fire danger. RAWS units collect, store, and forward data to a computer system at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, Idaho, via the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES). The GOES is operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The data is automatically forwarded to several other computer systems including the Weather Information Management System (WIMS) and the Western Regional Climate Center (WRCC) in Reno, Nevada.
Fire managers use this data to predict fire behavior and monitor fuels; resource managers use the data to monitor environmental conditions. Locations of RAWS stations can be searched online courtesy of the Western Regional Climate Center.
News and Information
January 27, 2017
FTS EON ANTENNA
All RAWS customers are advised that the manufacturer design of the FTS Eon GOES Antenna may limit the RSFWSU Depot ability to make any repairs to this item.
Due to this maintenance limitation if an Eon GOES antenna appears to fail in the field the following maintenance policy applies to customers currently on a RSFWSU Depot contract:
1) A customer can order through the WFMI parts ordering process a replacement Eon antenna from the Depot parts inventory and return the antenna in question to the Depot for inspection
2) If the Depot determines the antenna is functional and requires no repair it will be placed in the Depot parts inventory and the antenna will be cleared from the customer account.
3) If the antenna fails inspection and the Depot determines it cannot be repaired the customer will be required to purchase an Eon GOES Antenna to replace the antenna pulled from the Depot parts inventory.
Please contact the RSFWSU Depot for any questions concerning the FTS Eon GOES antenna.
Frequently Asked Questions - From the RAWS Help Desk
Q: What steps should I take to ensure I have the right grounding/lightning protection for my RAWS station?
A: Both direct and indirect lightning strikes generate massive electromagnetic fields inducing voltages far beyond what electronic equipment can safely handle and can damage a RAWS station that isn t properly grounded and protected.
RSFWSU Depot recommends contacting the equipment manufacturer of your RAWS station to determine the correct grounding/lightning protection for your system.
Have A Comment Or Question?
We value your feedback about the Remote Sensing / Fire Weather Support Unit programs and our RAWS website. To help us serve you better, please select the link below and email us your comment or question. Email RSFWSU