Meteorologische Station / Ballonhalle

High above the Berlin skyline, atop the HTW Berlin’s Building G, sits the Meteorologische Station / Ballonhalle. It’s not a place of balloons as the name might whimsically suggest. It’s a sentinel of the sky, a place where the whispers of wind and the secrets of the sun are meticulously recorded. The Meteorologische Station / Ballonhalle has been collecting weather data since 2010. The station underwent a major overhaul in 2016. New sensors were installed, calibrated, and set to capture the pulse of the atmosphere every single second. This data, a symphony of numbers reflecting the dance of nature, is then carefully stored in a redundant archive, ensuring its preservation. Imagine 15 different sensors, constantly monitoring the elements. They measure everything from the gentle caress of a breeze to the blazing intensity of the sun. This wealth of information paints a detailed portrait of Berlin’s ever-changing weather patterns. The Meteorologische Station / Ballonhalle isn’t just about collecting data. It’s a key player in the PV2City research project. This project, funded by the Berlin program for sustainable development (BENE) and co-financed by the European Union, seeks to harness the power of the sun for a greener future. The station’s precise solar irradiance measurements, gathered with various technologies and orientations, are vital to this endeavor. They even measure the direct-normal and diffuse horizontal components of solar radiation with a dedicated solar tracker. This tracker, positioned at the foot of the weather pole, follows the sun’s journey across the sky, capturing every nuance of its energy. While the current weather station boasts cutting-edge technology, the Meteorologische Station / Ballonhalle’s history stretches back to 2010. Long-term data from a few sensors is available, offering a glimpse into Berlin’s climate history. While some sensors were retired in the 2016 upgrade, the wealth of information gathered continues to inform research and understanding of the city’s meteorological past. So next time you glance at Berlin’s skyline, remember the Meteorologische Station / Ballonhalle. It stands as a testament to the importance of understanding our atmosphere, a silent guardian diligently recording the language of the sky.