Meteorological measurements and observations

The Košetice observatory is the workplace of the Air Quality Division and the Professional Meteorological Station of CHMI. As part of a professional meteorological network, we are measuring a wide range of meteorological elements. Since September 1, 2024, the measurements have been automatic.

Synoptic measurement includes folowing quantities: air temperature, air pressure, vapor pressure, air humidity, dew point temperature, wind speed and direction, amount of precipitation, duration of sunshine, visibility,  soil temperature (depths 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 cm), soil moisture (depths 7, 25 and 75 cm), evaporation; maximum, minimum and floor temperature. These values are sent every hour to the Central Forecast Office in Prague and serve as the basis for the weather forecast.

Climatological measurement has a lower range of measured elements: air temperature, air pressure, air humidity, wind speed and direction, amount of precipitation, duration of sunshine, visibility, soil temperature (depths 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 cm),  evaporation, snow depth. The prevailing parameters are measured in climatological terms 7, 14 and 21 h.

Obr.1 Přehled automatizovaných stanic s kontinuální obsluhou profesionálního meteorologa.Červené čtverce označují automatické meteorologické stanice. Obsluhu zabezpečuje profesionální meteorolog, provoz zajišťuje odbor profesionální staniční sítě (OPSS), odbor letecké meteorologie (OLM) ČHMÚ v Praze, nebo jsou pod správou Armády ČR (A ČR) či Ústavem fyziky atmosféry (ÚFA AV ČR). Hlavním úkolem jsou synoptická měření a pozorování, která jsou posílána každou hodinu ve zprávě SYNOP do centra Praha-Komořany. Součástí měření jsou i klimatologická pozorování.Světle červené čtverce označují automatizované stanice kombinovaného typu. Obsluha na stanicích je prováděna profesionálním meteorologem v rámci odboru profesionální staniční sítě ve stanovených denních hodinách. Hlavním úkolem jsou synoptická měření a pozorování, která jsou posílána každou hodinu ve zprávě SYNOP do centra Praha-Komořany. Součástí měření jsou i klimatologická pozorování. Zdroj:www.chmi.cz

Observatory pozition within ČR

Air temperature

The average annual air temperature recorded in 2019 at the Košetice station was 9.4 °C, i.e. 1.5 °C higher than the average annual air temperature recorded in the years 1988–2010 (7.9 °C). The lowest average annual air temperature was measured in 1996 (6.0 °C). Conversely, the highest average annual air temperature was recorded at the Košetice station in 2014 and 2018 (9.5° C).

The nationwide annual average air temperature was 9.5 °C in 2019, which is 1.6 °C less compared to the long-term normal from 1981-2010, which is 7.9 °C. For the Vysočina region, the annual average air temperature for 2019 was 9.1 °C and the long-term average for this region is 7.4 °C

Precipitation

In 2019, the total annual precipitation of 630.6 mm was recorded at the Košetice station. The average total precipitation recorded at the Košetice station in the years 1988–2010 is 640.5 mm and is slightly above the national long-term precipitation normal from 1981–2010 (634 mm). The year 2003 was the poorest in terms of precipitation, when the total annual precipitation at the Košetice station was only 473.3 mm, the year 2010 was the richest in terms of precipitation, with a total of 878.3 mm.

Snow

In 2019, the maximum snow depth was 16 cm and the average snow depth this year was 6.5 cm. The highest recorded snow depth of 49 cm was measured in 2006.

Phenomena - fogs and thunderstorms

Fogs occur most often at Košetice station in October and November (over 6 days a month on average). The greatest number of thunderstorms occurs in June and July (on average 3.5 days per month).

Wind

The Košetice station is characterized by a dominant westerly wind direction, as is the case with other stations such as Tušimice, Kocelovice, Kostelní Myslová, Milešovka and Hradec Králové. In the Czech Republic, we can find stations whose prevailing wind direction is southwest (e.g. Cheb, Plzeň-Dobřany, Churáňov, Praha-Ruzyně, Ostrava-Mošnov), north (Krnov) or south (Svratouch).

Zdroj: ČHMÚ; TOLASZ, Radim, et al. Climate Atlas of Czech Republic. Prague: CHMI, UPOL, 2007