NOAA experts Richard Crouthamel from the National Weather Service International Activities Office, and Tom Ross from the National Climatic Data Center, visited Montevideo on November 15-19, 2004 to start preparations for a research project with the National Meteorological Service of Uruguay.

While in Montevideo, Crouthamel and Ross met with National Meteorological Service Director Raul Michelini and his technical staff, as well as with experts from other agencies to exchange information.

The purpose of this project is to help rescue and preserve hydro-meteorological data that is currently recorded on paper by transferring the data into a digital format to make it useful for the world community.

NOAA donated two Canon A85 digital cameras, two complete computer systems, and additional support equipment to be used for the project.

Prior to 1997, Uruguayan climatic data was not stored on electronic media but on paper. In addition to being difficult to use for research purposes, paper data is subject to deterioration from age or destruction by vermin, mold, mildew and fire.

The Uruguayan Meteorological Service has over 900,000 weather observations from 25 meteorological stations throughout the country that that are in need of digitalization.

 

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