Where should the thermometer be?

No, I'm not talking about the average high and low temperatures for the first day of winter!

Richard Martinson of Rockton asks: "I need to know where the best location would be for that outdoor temperature sensor. My thought is to place the sensor on the top post of my deck off the west side of my house. This would make the sensor very exposed, about 8 feet from the house and 10 feet in the air, which brings up the question of lots of direct sunlight. Is this the best location for a temperature sensor?

Official National Weather Service thermometers are housed in "cotton region shelters" like the one shown to the left. To ensure proper temperature measurement thermometers have to be placed out of direct sunlight, ten feet above the ground. So, to answer your question Richard, as long as your thermometer is out of the sun, the deck seems to be a pretty good spot! -ERIC

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