Weather Tidbits: How Official Temperatures Are Recorded

This edition of Weather Tidbits will be discussing why your thermometer against a house may differ from an official temperature recording. It all has to do with the surrounding environment of the thermometer. Against an average house, the thermometer may be in direct sunlight, near dark colors like pavement that can absorb heat, or nearby houses or concrete that can radiate heat. All of these factors will act to increase the temperature reading. An official thermometer sight, on the other hand, is protected. This thermometer is always shaded and is surrounded by white paint to reduce heat absorption. Additionally, the Stevenson box that the thermometer is placed in is four feet above the ground in an open field. So during a summer afternoon, while your thermometer may read 97 degrees, the official recording may be at around 89 degrees.