I'm fairly certain that it is in the shade. That doesn't mean in a shady glen, just that direct sunlight can't be shining on the thermometer. That could cause a higher than real reading due to the the sun's rays heating the thermometer itself. A weather thermometer is for measuring air temperature. (Think of sitting on a metal lawn chair that has been in the sun all day, or walking on the sand of a beach on a sunny day. In both cases, the temperature of the surface of the chair or sand may be hotter than the air temperature.)
Posts: 17021 | Location: Lincoln Place, Granite City, IL, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
Shade. The thermometer in a traditional weather station is set inside a white painted wooden box. The box is louvred on all sides so that air passes through at all times. The box is set on legs about 5 feet high, in the open. This design ensures that the reading is not falsified by direct sun nor is the inside of the box hotter or colder than the ambient air outside.