Observatory’s Upper-Air Observing Station in King’s Park Officially Certified as GRUAN Site

Observatory’s Upper-Air Observing Station in King’s Park Officially Certified as GRUAN Site

Lam Ming-chun

The Hong Kong Observatory’s upper-air station in King’s Park has been officially certified by the World Meteorological Organization as a member of the Global Climate Observing System Reference Upper-Air Network (GRUAN), becoming one of only 17 certified stations worldwide and the second certified station in China.

GRUAN affirms the Hong Kong Observatory’s excellent measurement capabilities and its significant role in global climate science. The Hong Kong Observatory shares upper-air observation data with GRUAN, including monthly measurements of water vapour content using “cryogenic frostpoint hygrometers”. Water vapour is a major amplifier of climate change, hence data on atmospheric water vapour is particularly important for climate research.

GRUAN site certificate awarded to the Hong Kong Observatory’s upper-air observing station.

Hong Kong Observatory staff releasing a weather balloon carrying a cryogenic frostpoint hygrometer to precisely measure upper-air water vapour content.