Visibility and Present Weather Sensor High-Precision Weather Phenomenon Identification via Forward Scattering

Visibility and Present Weather Sensor employs the forward scattering method to measure the total extinction coefficient of the air, enabling real-time monitoring of road visibility and the identification of weather phenomena such as fog, rain, and snow. This provides high-precision measurement data support for the traffic meteorology sector.

Visibility and Present Weather Sensor is an optical monitoring device developed based on forward scattering technology, primarily designed to measure atmospheric visibility while simultaneously identifying weather phenomena. The device's core operating principle involves an emitter projecting an infrared beam into the atmosphere; it then measures the intensity of the scattered light at a specific angle (typically between 39° and 51°) to calculate the total extinction coefficient of the air, ultimately deriving the current visibility value based on established optical formulas. This measurement method does not require a long baseline; it features a compact structure, offers rapid response times, and enables high-precision measurement of atmospheric visibility.

In terms of measurement range, the sensor covers a wide spectrum from 10 meters to 30 kilometers, with a resolution of 1 meter, thereby satisfying monitoring requirements across diverse scenarios. Regarding measurement accuracy, the device maintains an error margin of no more than ±2% within a range of 2 kilometers; errors are controlled within ±5% for the 2 to 10-kilometer range, and remain less than ±10% for distances exceeding 10 kilometers. Beyond its fundamental visibility monitoring capabilities, the device—when equipped with a weather phenomenon identification module—can automatically distinguish between various weather types, including fog, rain, snow, mixed precipitation, and clear skies, achieving an identification accuracy rate exceeding 95%. This multi-parameter monitoring capability ensures the provision of reliable data, even under complex meteorological conditions.

Structurally, Visibility and Present Weather Sensor features a high-quality aluminum alloy housing with an anodized and painted surface finish, offering excellent resistance to water, dust, and physical impact. The emitter and receiver lenses are designed with a downward tilt, effectively minimizing interference from stray light sources—such as sunlight—while simultaneously reducing the accumulation of dust, rain, and snow on the lens surfaces. The interface section incorporates lightning protection circuitry, and both the communication and power ports are equipped with anti-static capabilities, ensuring the device's suitability for long-term, continuous operation in outdoor environments. The device maintains a low power consumption of approximately 1W and supports a wide voltage input range of 12 to 24V, allowing it to be deployed in remote, off-grid locations when paired with solar panels and battery storage systems. In practical applications, Visibility and Present Weather Sensor is widely utilized in the fields of road traffic and meteorological monitoring. By deploying this device at critical road sections—such as highways, bridges, and tunnels—visibility data can be collected in real time and uploaded to the backend systems of traffic management authorities. When monitoring detects reduced visibility caused by patchy fog, heavy rainfall, or snowfall, the system provides data support for adjusting traffic signal timing, issuing speed limit restrictions, or disseminating early warning alerts. Within the meteorological sector, this device serves as an integral component of regional weather observation networks, monitoring the formation and dissipation processes of fog zones to provide foundational data for weather forecasting and public services.