Parque Natural Metropolitano (PNM)

The meteorological station at the Parque Natural Metropolitano Canopy Crane was established on Jan. 1995. The PNM (8°59'N, 79°33'W) comprises an area of 270 ha and is the only natural, undisturbed park in tropical Latin America located adjacent to a capital city. The area now protected by the PNM underwent substantial ecological modification beginning in pre-Colombian times, but has remained largely undisturbed for the last 80 years during which time it has reverted from abandoned pasture to secondary dry, deciduous, lowland forest.

The crane is 42m tall with a 51m long arm. The gondala has a maximum lift height of 34m and a work radius (from center of tower) of 48m.
The upper canopy is 25-35 m high with emergent trees reaching 40m. The PNM receives an average of 1850 mm of rain per year. The meteorological year is divided into two parts: a pronounced dry season (approximately from mid-December to the end of April), and a wet season (May to mid-December).
On average, only 140 mm of rain falls during the dry season. Relative humidity, solar radiation, wind speed and direction all show marked wet/dry season differences. On the other hand, temperature varies relatively little throughout the year.Data are collected from a fully automated meteorological station located attached at an elevation of 25m to the park canopy crane. The station began collecting data in January 1995. Click here for PNM data.

For more information about the Canopy Crane Access Project, click here:
Here are a some views from on top of the FtS crane and a map of the area:


The following data are available from PNM:

Precipitation Rainfall is collected in the Clearing by a Hydrological Services tipping bucket rain gauge.  The tipping bucket records precipitation at 10-minute intervals.
Relative Humidity Hourly average, maximum and minimum relative humidity is measured using  a Vaisala electronic temperature/humidity sensor.
Solar Radiation Hourly total, maximum and minimum Global solar radiation are measured at the top of the Lutz tower using Li-Cor LI200SB pyranometers attached to a datalogger. Hourly total, maximum and minimum are recorded. Li-Cor 190SB sensors record Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) similarly.
Temperature Hourly average, maximum and minimum shaded air temperature is measured using Vaisala electronic temperature/humidity sensors.
Wind Speed and Direction Hourly average, maximum and minimum wind speed plus average wind direction are recorded at hourly intervals on the top of the Lutz tower using a Model 05035 Young Anemometer connected to a data logger.