The TurfTrax Weather System
The weather, as any Head Groundsman, Racecourse Manager or Head Green Keeper knows, is the most important factor affecting the condition and maintenance of the sporting surface.
An easily accessible and accurate log of both historic and real time climate conditions enables better informed turf management decisions. Better informed decisions will eventually result in improvements to the pitch, playing field or course for which you are responsible. The TurfTrax Weather System creates a precise and unique audit trail of climate conditions for the specific location in which it is sited. Local weather records simply do not provide the same level of detail and accuracy.
Key System Features
Through the dedicated website users have the ability to login and check real time and historic weather conditions at their location from anywhere in the world. As well as the web interface users can be provided with a full monthly summary of weather data. The Weather System is fully automated and needs no manual intervention to empty rain gauges, for example. The weather station is powered by solar energy and communicates using a GSM modem. TurfTrax will service the weather station every six months and will monitor that the weather station is fully operational 365 days a year. The TurfTrax Weather System has the ability to calculate Evapo-Transpiration (ET) using the raw data from the station. ET data is a valuable tool for determining irrigation programmes. The TurfTrax Weather System can send SMS text messages (or emails) to warn clients of any adverse or unusual weather conditions. A frost alert system has been developed for racecourses. Users are automatically alerted as soon as the temperature drops below a set threshold in the 48 hours prior to racing.
Sensor Specification
- Rainfall (mm)
- Air Temperature
- Ground Temperature
- Soil Temperature
- Relative Humidity
- Wind Speed
- Gust Speed
- Wind Direction
- Solar Radiation
Calculated Values
- Evapo-Transpiration (ET)
- Wind Chill
- Other specialist sensors can be provided upon request
The Website (www.terramet.com)
Real time and historic data is accessed via the website. Each user is provided with an individual username and login.
The website allows the user to view data in three formats, graphical, tabular, or in raw data. Website updates can range from once a day to every five minutes. Updates can be requested automatically through the website. A four day local weather forecast is also provided.
The TurfTrax Weather System is an extremely userfriendly device allowing clients with little or no knowledge of meteorology to operate the technology and interpret the resulting data effortlessly.
The TurfTrax Weather System seamlessly transfers data on to a password protected website and its data is accessible on the majority of handheld devices on today's market. Furthermore, this state-of-the-art climate technology is able to send SMS text messages (or emails) to warn clients of any adverse or unusual weather conditions affecting their sporting or recreational surface 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Current Clients
The TurfTrax Weather System has been used on the UK's leading racecourses for over seven years - including Aintree, Ascot, Epsom, Cheltenham, Newmarket and York. Twickenham RFU, Chelsea FC and Arsenal FC have employed the TurfTrax Weather System to help monitor conditions both inside and outside their stadia. Although the TurfTrax weather stations are primarily used at turf sporting venues, All Weather racing also benefits from accurate Climate monitoring and currently four All Weather tracks in the UK use this TurfTrax technology.
The TurfTrax evapo-transpiration data is used to assist with irrigation programmes in the run up to the Grand National, Royal Ascot, The Derby and The Cheltenham Festival.