Temperature Data

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I have maintained a trail camera as part of the Snapshot Wisconsin program for several years. Every few months, I trek off the trail at Wayside Wanderings Natural Play Area to change the camera's batteries and retrieve the memory card. The photos are uploaded to the statewide project where the DNR's wildlife biologists use the data to track wildlife trends. 

This friendly raccoon stopped to pose for a photo in 2023.

Last year, we got the opportunity to add a new type of data to our site. I installed a white-capped temperature sensor on the same tree as our camera. That small device recorded the air temperature every 15 minutes all winter long. In June, I removed the sensor and mailed it back to the Snapshot Wisconsin office. 

Our tree with the trail cam and temperature sensor.

I received an email this week with the subject, "Your Temperature Data." I was excited to open the document and see what the sensor measured. The winter's temperature bottomed out at -31.7°F (yikes!) and the last freeze was May 11. It will be interesting to see if this data can be further analyzed with the camera photos to understand the effects of weather on our local wildlife!




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