8.7 Recommendations

Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QAQC) procedures should be documented in a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) and approved by the appropriate project or organizational authority. These procedures should provide quantitative documentation to support claims of accuracy and should be conducted by persons independent of the organization responsible for the collection of the data and the maintenance of the measurement systems. 

Procurement documents for meteorological monitoring systems should include the specifications for instrument systems and should identify the test method by which conformance with the specification will be determined. Persons responsible installing meteorological systems should review documentation provided on conformance-testing and should conduct independent acceptance tests to verify claims of accuracy. All acceptance-testing activities should be documented in the station log. 

Routine system calibrations and system audits should be performed at the initiation of a monitoring program (within 30 days of start-up) and at least every six months thereafter. More frequent calibrations and audits may be needed in the early stages of the program if problems are encountered, or if valid data retrieval rates are unacceptably low. Documentation of all calibrations should include a description of the system “as found”, details of any adjustments to the instrument, and a description of the system “as left”; this documentation is necessary for any claims of data validity.

Regular and frequent routine operational checks of the monitoring system are essential to ensuring high data retrieval rates. These should include visual inspections of the instruments for signs of damage or wear, inspections of recording devices to ensure correct operation and periodic preventive maintenance. The latter should include periodic checks of wind speed and wind direction bearing assemblies, cleaning of aspirated shield screens in temperature systems, removal and recharging (at least quarterly) of lithium chloride dew cells, cleaning of the mirror in cooled mirror dew cells, clearing the precipitation gauge funnel of obstructing debris, and frequent (preferably daily) cleaning of the optical surface of a pyranometer or net radiometer. Also crucial to achieving acceptable valid data retrieval rates is the regular review of the data by an experienced meteorologist. This review should include visual scanning of the data, and automated screening and comparison checks to flag suspect data. This review should be performed weekly, and preferably on a daily basis.

8. QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL
8.1 Instrument Procurement 
     8.1.1 Wind Speed 
     8.1.2 Wind Direction  
     8.1.3 Temperature and Temperature Difference 
     8.1.4 Dew Point Temperature 
     8.1.5 Precipitation 
     8.1.6 Pressure 
     8.1.7 Radiation  
 8.2 Installation and Acceptance Testing
     8.2.1 Wind Speed 
     8.2.2 Wind Direction  
     8.2.3 Temperature and Temperature Difference 
     8.2.4 Dew Point Temperature 
     8.2.5 Precipitation 
     8.2.6 Pressure
     8.2.7 Radiation
  8.3 Routine Calibrations  
      8.3.1 Sensor Check  
      8.3.2 Signal Conditioner and Recorder Check  
     8.3.3 Calibration Data Logs 
     8.3.4 Calibration Report  
     8.3.5 Calibration Schedule/Frequency 
     8.3.6 Data Correction Based on Calibration Results  
  8.4 Audits 
     8.4.1 Audit Schedule and Frequency  
     8.4.2 Audit Procedure 
     8.4.3 Corrective Action and Reporting 
  8.5 Routine and Preventive Maintenance 
     8.5.1 Standard Operating Procedures  
     8.5.2 Preventive Maintenance  
 8.6 Data Validation and Reporting  
     8.6.1 Preparatory Steps 
     8.6.2 Levels of Validation  
     8.6.3 Validation Procedures  
     8.6.4 Schedule and Reporting
  8.7 Recommendations