Xuancheng City Meteorological Observatory

Xuancheng City Meteorological Observatory

Xuancheng City Meteorological Observatory serves as a science popularization education base.

The Xuancheng City Meteorological Society was formerly known as the Xuancheng Prefecture Meteorological Society, established in 1984. After Xuancheng was upgraded from a prefecture to a city in 2000, it adopted its current name. The society has four working committees—science and technology, consultation, science popularization, and academic affairs—and includes six member units with nearly 200 members.

Under the dual leadership of the Xuancheng City Association for Science and Technology and the affiliated Xuancheng City Meteorological Bureau, the society actively carries out comprehensive activities in meteorological scientific research, academic exchanges, talent cultivation and discovery, public science education, and social management. It has played an irreplaceable role in promoting the advancement of meteorological science and technology, modernization, and the development of meteorological services in Xuancheng City, becoming a highly influential scientific and technological organization in the region.

The society currently operates one national-level science popularization education base (Xuancheng City Meteorological Observatory) and three provincial-level ones (Jing County Meteorological Bureau, Guangde County Meteorological Bureau, and Jixi County Meteorological Bureau). It publishes a semiannual journal, *Xuancheng Meteorology*, and a quarterly newsletter, *Xuancheng City Meteorological Society Activity Bulletin*, which primarily feature research reports, academic exchanges, and updates on the society’s work.

Science Popularization Activities

(1) World Meteorological Day Junior Journalist Social Practice. Each year on World Meteorological Day, the society collaborates with *Xuancheng Daily* to organize a “Junior Journalists’ Social Practice Activity.”

(2) Meteorological Science Popularization “Mobile Exhibition Van” Tour. During Science and Technology Week, a mobile emergency meteorological vehicle is deployed as a “science van,” bringing disaster prevention and mitigation knowledge directly to schools.

(3) National Science Popularization Day Events. The society hosts open days at the national-level Xuancheng City Meteorological Observatory science education base and produces *Be a Little Meteorology Expert—Municipal Middle School...*

(4) Volunteer Service Activities. Science volunteers are organized to conduct community outreach programs on meteorological science.

(5) Municipal Middle School Students’ Meteorological Science Creation Competition. In collaboration with the Municipal Education and Sports Bureau and the Municipal Association for Science and Technology, the “Municipal Middle School Students’ Meteorological Science Competition” is held.

(6) Science Popularization Partnerships. To promote standardized and regular science education in schools and communities, partnership agreements are signed with primary and secondary schools and local communities to advance joint science initiatives.

(7) Campus Meteorological Demonstration Stations. Through joint investment by the society and schools, campus weather observation stations and hands-on learning classrooms are built, equipped with various tools to support student-led meteorological experiments.

(8) Meteorological Science Demonstration Communities. The society works with communities to establish demonstration sites that include personnel, informational displays, reading corners, and activity spaces.

National Science Popularization Education Base — Xuancheng City Meteorological Observatory

In July 2000, leveraging the resources of the Xuancheng City Meteorological Observatory, the Xuancheng City Meteorological Science Education Base was established, primarily targeting youth. It became a dedicated venue for meteorological science education, dissemination, popularization, and service, initially named the “Xuancheng City Youth Science Education Base.” It was jointly designated by the Municipal Party Committee Organization Department, Propaganda Department, Education Commission, and Association for Science and Technology. In recent years, under the leadership of the Municipal Association for Science and Technology and the Meteorological Bureau, the base has actively conducted diverse science activities, making significant contributions to public science education and social harmony, earning multiple accolades. Following its recognition as an Anhui Provincial Science Education Base in 2010 by the Anhui Association for Science and Technology, it was further honored in 2012 as a National Science Education Base by the China Association for Science and Technology—the only national-level base in Anhui designated for opening a meteorological operational facility.

Located at No. 60 Xiangshan Road, Xuanzhou District, Xuancheng City, Anhui Province, the observatory complex features a newly built operations building and radar room designed in the shape of a sea lion balancing a ball—modern and unique. To the southeast lies the Urban Wetland Park, Wanling Lake, and the Municipal Planning Exhibition Hall; to the east is Xiangshan Park, and to the west, the Municipal Library. The area boasts rich cultural heritage and stunning scenery. The indoor visiting area of the science education base spans 2,700 square meters, with an additional 8,001 square meters outdoors. There are five main attractions: the Xuancheng National Meteorological Observation Station, the Science Lecture Hall, the Science Exhibition Hall, the Weather Forecast Center, and the Meteorological Media Center. Except for the observation station, the other four are centralized in one operations building for easy access.

(1) Xuancheng National Meteorological Observation Station

At the Xuancheng National Meteorological Observation Station, visitors can learn about the station’s history and how meteorological data is collected. Established on December 29, 1956, it is located at 30°56′N latitude, 118°45′E longitude, and 31.2 meters above sea level. To accommodate public visits, the standard observation field was expanded to 30m x 30m with 1.2m-high fencing. From north to south, meteorological instruments are arranged in five rows by height, totaling sixteen sets. Observations include cloud type and cover, visibility, weather phenomena, air pressure, temperature, humidity, wind, precipitation, evaporation, snow depth, sunshine duration, ground temperature, wire icing, lightning location, and GPS vertical water vapor—all eighteen parameters. Each instrument is labeled with its name and main function.

(2) Science Lecture Hall

The Science Lecture Hall is the first stop for indoor visits. The education base uses a 100-seat multifunctional conference room in the operations building to screen educational films or host expert-led lectures on meteorological topics. These sessions satisfy visitors’ curiosity and are especially popular among school groups.

(3) Science Exhibition Hall

The Science Exhibition Hall is located on the third floor of the operations building, alongside the Forecast Center and Media Center. Here, visitors can learn about technologies such as artificial rain enhancement and observation networks, as well as enjoy interactive science games. A 3m x 3m sandbox at the center displays the distribution of meteorological observation sites and artificial rain operation points across the city. The hall visually presents Xuancheng’s southern highlands and northern lowlands, its hilly terrain, and two major Yangtze tributaries—the Shuiyang and Qingyi Rivers—that flow through the area. The city’s small- and medium-scale weather observation network, consisting of seven national stations, 258 regional automatic stations, six soil moisture stations, one lightning locator, one GPS water vapor detector, and one weather radar, is all marked on the model. Covering Xuancheng’s 12,000 sq km area, there is roughly one observation point per 50 sq km, ensuring every town has coverage.

The sandbox also shows the locations of seven county-level artificial rain operation sites. Since initiating independent weather modification efforts in 1998, Xuancheng has developed a forest fire prevention base in the southern mountainous region and a unified operation command platform. It now has twelve 37mm anti-aircraft guns, fifteen rocket launchers, seven standardized operation sites, and forty-one staff. Wall panels illustrate risk maps for major meteorological and geological disasters, key agricultural service locations, and educational content. An electronic whiteboard near the sandbox allows visitors to select science videos, images, or games based on their interests.

(4) Forecast Center

At the Forecast Center, visitors can understand how weather forecasts are made and access the latest updates. The center is the operational core of the observatory. The bright, spacious hall covers nearly 300 sq m and features a weather forecasting process diagram on the walls. At its center is a futuristic conference table used for integrated video conferencing between city, county, and provincial forecasters. On the left is a large cabinet housing an integrated system for weather monitoring, data analysis, and forecast production. On the right are cabinets with satellite communications, internet systems, the 96121 automated weather hotline, and platforms for SMS broadcasts via mobile carriers, Anhui Agricultural Network updates, agricultural meteorology transmissions, and forecast releases. When visitors arrive, the director or on-duty forecaster demonstrates the forecasting process on-screen, explaining how forecasts are analyzed, produced, and disseminated.

(5) Media Center

The city’s meteorological media studio was built in 2008. The center produces nine daily TV weather forecast programs for six counties and the city itself, uploading them to servers for use by the municipal TV station and county bureaus. The city-level programs include: the Public Weather Forecast (Channel 1, News), the Tourism Weather Forecast (Channel 2, Lifestyle), and the Agricultural Weather Forecast (Channel 3, Entertainment). Visitors can observe the recording process and even step into the studio to experience hosting a weather segment.