...Live Jamaica Beach Weather Observatory weather conditions now available!...

The Jamaica Beach Weather Observatory is pleased to announce that, for the first time
ever, live weather conditions at the Jamaica Beach Weather Observatory are now
available on its web site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

The information may be accessed by going to the Jamaica Beach Weather Observatory
web site and scrolling down about 6 inches from the top of the page.  There will be a
small 4" x 6" graphic image with a black background displaying the current weather
conditions at the Jamaica Beach Weather Observatory.

The image automatically updates every 2 minutes with new weather data so it is
not necessary to reload the page to see the latest information.  Weather parameters
included are: the current sky condition or weather phenomena (rain, fog, haze, etc.)...
temperature...dew point temperature...relative humidity...heat index (summer) or wind
chill (winter)...wind direction and speed including present wind gusts...sea-level
barometric pressure...current hourly, daily, monthly and annual rainfall totals...and the
daily times of sunrise/sunset, moonrise/moonset and moon phase.

This new service will enable the user to see real-time information as it happens such as
the amount of rainfall accumulating during a heavy thunderstorm...the winds increasing
and barometric pressure falling as a tropical storm or hurricane approaches the area...
or, the temperature falling dramatically after the passage of an Arctic cold front.

Eventually, a web cam will be mounted atop the 43 foot high tower that supports the
station's wind instruments that will take live pictures of West Bay and West Galveston
Island.  These camera images will then update every 2 minutes with the weather data.

Users of this weather information should be aware of the following:

1.  The time displayed on the weather image window will always be displayed in Central
Standard Time (CST) throughout the year.  This is because all weather observations are
recorded in local standard time for standardized reporting purposes.  This means that
during the period of the year when daylight savings time is in effect (March-October), the
time will appear to be an hour off.  Therefore, you will need to add one hour to the time
indicated for the actual local time of observation in Central Daylight Time (CDT).

2.  The data you see on the weather image window may at times be slightly different
from the official Jamaica Beach temperature and rainfall data contained elsewhere on
the Jamaica Beach Weather Observatory web site.  This is because the official data
recorded for the National Weather Service is obtained from different weather instruments
at the station.  However, both sets of instruments often record the exact same figures
and whenever a difference exists, it is usually very small such as a degree or two in
temperature or a few hundredths of an inch in rainfall.  In the event there is a difference,
the monthly and annual rainfall totals displayed on the weather image window will be
edited at the end of each day to correspond with the official rainfall totals at the station.

The Jamaica Beach Weather Observatory is pleased to offer this free new service to
residents in the community and everyone else interested in Galveston Island weather.

Jim O'Donnel
Jamaica Beach Weather Observatory